Says gesture honours sacrifices of military, police personnel, urges sustained welfare programmes

The Prayer and Support for Nigerian Armed Forces and Other Security Agencies (PSNAFSA) has commended the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her compassionate intervention in support of widows of fallen military and police personnel.

The group described the initiative, implemented through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), as a significant demonstration of the Federal Government’s recognition of the sacrifices made by security personnel who lost their lives in the service of the nation.

In a statement signed by its Convener, Ambassador Mary Abayomi-Fatile, PSNAFSA noted that 1,638 widows of fallen personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Nigeria Police Force recently received N500,000 each, bringing the total intervention to N819 million.

The organisation said the gesture was not only a financial intervention but also a message of hope and reassurance to families left behind by men and women who paid the ultimate price defending the territorial integrity, peace and security of Nigeria.

According to PSNAFSA, behind every fallen hero is a family that continues to live with the pain of losing a husband, father or loved one, stressing that widows and children of fallen personnel remain an important part of the nation’s enduring legacy.

The group particularly praised the decision to channel the intervention towards economic empowerment, noting that the funds could enable beneficiaries to establish new businesses or strengthen existing ones and ultimately become more economically independent.

“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 group stated.

PSNAFSA further called on governments at all levels, corporate organisations, private individuals and well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the First Lady’s gesture by supporting families of security personnel who died in the line of duty.

It stressed that the welfare of families of fallen heroes should remain a national responsibility that transcends politics, administrations and individual interests.

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, particularly in education, healthcare, housing, skills acquisition and sustainable economic empowerment.

PSNAFSA said stronger and sustained interventions would help cushion the hardship faced by families who have lost their primary breadwinners while serving the country.

The group expressed appreciation to Senator Oluremi Tinubu for the initiative and prayed for continued wisdom, strength and grace for her to sustain programmes capable of bringing hope and succour to vulnerable Nigerians.