By Odita Sunday
A group, Prayer and Support for Nigerian Armed Forces and Other Security Agencies (PSNAFSA), has commended First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for providing N819 million to 1,638 widows of fallen military and police personnel.
The group described the intervention, made through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), as a compassionate gesture that recognises the sacrifices of security personnel who paid the supreme price in the service of Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its Convener, Ambassador Mary Abayomi-Fatile, PSNAFSA said the First Lady provided N500,000 each to the 1,638 widows of fallen personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Nigeria Police Force.
The group said the gesture was particularly significant because the families of fallen heroes continued to bear the consequences of their loss long after the death of their loved ones.
“For those of us who consistently pray for and support Nigerian’s Armed Forces and other security agencies, we understand the sacrifices made by these gallant men and women, many of whom pay the supreme price while defending the territorial integrity, peace and security of Nigeria,” the statement said.
PSNAFSA said behind every fallen hero was a family forced to live with the pain of losing a husband, father or loved one.
“The widows and children left behind are part of the enduring legacy of these heroes and deserve the care, support and recognition of the nation,” it added.
The organisation noted that the financial intervention could help the beneficiaries establish new businesses or strengthen existing ones, thereby improving their economic independence and ability to provide for their families.
According to PSNAFSA, supporting the families of fallen security personnel should not be viewed through political or partisan considerations but as a national responsibility.
“We believe that supporting the families of fallen heroes is a responsibility that transcends politics, administration and individual interests. It is a national duty,” the group stated.
It called on governments at all levels, corporate organisations, private individuals and other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the First Lady’s gesture by supporting families of personnel who died serving the country.
The group, however, stressed that no financial assistance could replace the lives lost by the families.
“While no financial assistance can ever replace a lost husband, father or loved one, gestures of this nature provide hope, dignity and reassurance that the sacrifices of our fallen heroes have not been forgotten,” PSNAFSA said.
The organisation also urged the Federal Government to sustain and expand welfare programmes for widows and children of fallen military, police and other security personnel.
It specifically called for greater support in education, healthcare, housing, skills acquisition and sustainable economic empowerment.
PSNAFSA expressed appreciation to the First Lady for the intervention and prayed for wisdom, strength and grace for her to sustain initiatives aimed at bringing hope and succour to vulnerable Nigerians.
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