We are suffering, military widows beg FG, Borno govt

Military widows in Borno State have decried the hardship facing them after losing their husbands in the line of duty.

They said they are struggling to raise their children and provide for their families.

The widows appealed to the Federal Government and the Borno State government for vocational training, business grants and regular assistance to help them become self-reliant and cater for their children.

Coordinator of the Military Widows Association in Borno, Adama Gorgi, made the appeal in Maiduguri on Wednesday, describing life after losing their husbands as difficult for women left to shoulder the responsibility of raising their families alone.

“We need the government to come to our aid and assist us in finding ways to support our children,” she said.

Gorgi acknowledged that the military had started paying scholarships for the children of fallen personnel but said many widows still needed support to earn a living and become financially independent.

She called for vocational training in soap-making, catering and other trades, alongside financial assistance to enable the women to establish small businesses.

“Life as a widow is not easy. We are really suffering and need the government to come to our aid,” she said.

The appeal comes amid years of military casualties in the North-East, where soldiers have been killed in ambushes and attacks on military formations during operations against insurgents.

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Gorgi said food supplies and funds to start businesses would ease the widows’ hardship and help them provide for their children without depending entirely on external assistance.

While acknowledging the military’s existing support, she urged the authorities to make assistance more regular rather than limiting it to quarterly interventions.

She said sustained support would help the widows earn a living, care for their children and rebuild their lives after losing their husbands in military service.