A group known as Prayer and Support for Nigerian Armed Forces and Other Security Agencies (PSNAFSA) has commended the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for providing financial support to widows of fallen military and police personnel across the country.
In a press statement issued on Saturday and signed by its Convener, Ambassador Mary Abayomi-Fatile, the group said it received “with great appreciation” the recent intervention by the First Lady through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), which disbursed N500,000 each to 1,638 widows of fallen Armed Forces and Nigeria Police Force personnel, totalling N819 million.
The group described the gesture as “a demonstration of compassion and a worthy recognition of the enormous sacrifices made by our military, police and other security personnel in the service of our dear nation.”
Speaking further, PSNAFSA said it understood first-hand the sacrifices made by security personnel, many of whom “pay the supreme price while defending the territorial integrity, peace and security of Nigeria.”
“Behind every fallen hero is a family that must continue to live with the pain of loss,” the statement read. “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.”
The group commended the First Lady for going beyond remembrance to provide support that could help beneficiaries “start new businesses or strengthen existing ones,” describing it as a step towards greater economic independence for the widows and their families.
PSNAFSA maintained that supporting the families of fallen heroes “is a responsibility that transcends politics, administration and individual interests,” calling it “a national duty.”
The group consequently urged governments at all levels, corporate organisations, and well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the gesture and continue supporting families of personnel who paid the ultimate price in service to the country.
“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,” the statement added.
PSNAFSA also called on the Federal Government to sustain and expand welfare programmes for widows and children of fallen security personnel, particularly in education, healthcare, housing, skills acquisition and sustainable economic empowerment.
The group rounded off its statement by appreciating the First Lady once more, praying that “God will continue to grant her the wisdom, strength and grace to sustain initiatives that bring hope and succour to vulnerable Nigerians.”
