*…Mrs Disu Says Grief Is More Than Financial Loss*
The Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) is set to establish a sustainable mental health and psychosocial support system for police widows, with National President, Mrs Olufunmilola Disu, declaring that the pain of losing a spouse goes beyond financial hardship and must no longer be ignored.
Speaking during activities marking the 2026 International Widows’ Day, themed *”Justice, Dignity and Economic Power for Police Widows,”* Mrs. Disu said many widows are silently carrying the weight of grief while raising children, managing responsibilities and rebuilding their lives after the loss of their husbands in active service.
According to her, emotional healing deserves as much attention as financial assistance, stressing that grief is not only economic but deeply personal and psychological.
To address this challenge, she disclosed that POWA is taking steps to establish a sustainable mental health and psychosocial support system that will provide counselling, encouragement and a safe support network for widows navigating loss and adjusting to life after tragedy.
“Our goal is simple: to ease the financial, health and emotional burdens faced by our women and to ensure that no police widow feels abandoned after her husband’s service and sacrifice,” she said.
Mrs Disu noted that behind every fallen officer is a family whose sacrifices often remain unseen, adding that the association remains committed to ensuring that the wives and children left behind are not forgotten.
She paid tribute to the families of the 17 police officers recently killed in Yobe State and three others who lost their lives in Zamfara State, assuring their widows and children that the entire police family shares their grief.
The POWA President said the association had expanded healthcare interventions for police families, providing medical consultations, dental treatment, eye care services and corrective eyeglasses to hundreds of beneficiaries.
She added that scholarship support for children of police families remained a priority, stressing that the dreams of children should not perish with the death of their parents.
Mrs Disu said this year’s theme underscores the need to guarantee justice for fallen heroes, preserve the dignity of widows and create opportunities that empower them to thrive rather than merely survive.
Calling for greater compassion and collective responsibility, she urged stakeholders to build a future where every police widow is treated with dignity, supported with empathy and empowered with hope.
