BY Philip Nwosu
WIVES of soldiers killed in battle field in the North East have called on the Federal Government and the authorities of the Nigerian Army to come to their aid by assisting them to raise their children.
The widows complained that since their bread winners died in the battle field in Maiduguri, Borno State, things have been difficult and they now worry about the fate of their children who struggle to go to school.
The widows lamented the death of their husbands in the North East, with some insisting that nothing had been told them about the whereabouts of their husbands.
The widows who spoke to Daily Sun during a presentation of relief items to them at the 174 Battalion in Ikorodu Lagos, said the promises made to them when the death of their husbands was announced in 2014 had not been kept, adding that the most important thing is the welfare of their children.
The widows wept as they were called one after the other to pick cash and clothing items provided by the Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA) 81 Division Chapter.
Mrs. Amelia Edet, wife of the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division and the President of NAOWA in the Division who presented the items to no more than 20 widows, said it was part of the activities, commemorating the 2016 Nigerian Army Day Celebration.
She commiserated with the widows on the loss of their bread winners, urging them to engage themselves meaningfully to ensure that they keep the family together.
She said efforts are on to establish skill acquisition training centre for them. Apart from taking them through entrepreneurial training, the NAOWA is also preparing to provide funds for them to start their businesses.
She allayed the fears of the widows that they would be ejected from the barrack, especially as their bread winners have died.
“I rarely see cases where a soldier dies and the widow and the family he left behind are chased out of the barrack. Some of them have been here for a long time and since I have become President of NAOWA in this Division non of such has happened.”
Speaking with Daily Sun, the Commanding Officer 174 Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Julius Ogbobe said the battalion had organised skill acquisition programme for the widows.
He said some of them have been enrolled in skill acquisition centre and that the General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Major General Henry Edet and the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Sani Mohammed have all contributed to ensure the women get good training that would assist them hold their families together.