The widows of some fallen heroes in Rivers State, numbering about 150, received palliatives from the Defence and Police Officers Wives Association (DEPOWA) on Thursday.
The event, held at the 29 Battalion Parade Ground, 6 Division Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, witnessed the widows receiving bags of rice and beans, vegetable oil, cartons of Indomie Noodles, garri, among other food items.
The wife of the Chief of Defence Staff and President of DEPOWA, Mrs. Oghogho Musa, spoke at the event, mentioning that the gesture was in conjunction with the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and DEPOWA, as part of activities for the 2024 Armed Forces and Remembrance Day celebration.
Mrs Musa stated that the palliative distribution aimed to alleviate the hardships of widows of deceased personnel who sacrificed their lives to keep the country safe. She expressed DEPOWA’s gratitude to the widows, considering it as a small way of saying thank you.
Mrs Musa emphasised, “This event today is aimed at honouring our sisters, friends, and mothers, the wives of our beloved gallant officers and men who paid the ultimate price while serving our dear country, Nigeria.”
She added that these remarkable women, who dedicated their lives to the Armed Forces of Nigeria, have shown strength, resilience, and accommodation in the face of adversity.
Acknowledging the indelible efforts and commitments of fallen heroes, Mrs. Musa highlighted that the association was committed to supporting the welfare of their families.
She assured the widows that DEPOWA held them dear to their hearts and would continue to provide support.
Rear Admiral Ibrahim Dewu, the Chief of Defence Civil Military Relations, expressed the Defence Headquarters’ unwavering commitment to the welfare of widows and families of fallen heroes.
He emphasised that the event was more than just distributing provisions, but a tangible expression of the armed forces’ dedication to providing support and solace to the families of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
In response, Mrs Folake Lasisi, speaking on behalf of the widows, thanked DEPOWA and the Defence Headquarters for the gesture.
However, she appealed for the fulfilment of entitlements due to the widows of officers who died in the Hercules C-130 plane crash in 1992. Mrs Lasisi lamented the challenges they had faced 32 years after the incident and pleaded for support in training the officers’ children who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty to the country.
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