Support
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Jan. 24, 2026 (NAN) The President, Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association (NAFOWA), Mrs Ngozi Aneke, has called for sustained government and public support for widows and families of fallen military personnel.
Aneke made the call on Saturday in Abuja during a humanitarian outreach organised by NAFOWA to mark the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day.
She said the initiative was aimed at honouring fallen heroes through practical support for their wives, children and dependants, stressing that remembrance must go beyond ceremonies.
According to her, the outreach aligned with NAFOWA’s motto, Service to Humanity, and reflected the association’s commitment to supporting not only Air Force families but also neighbouring civilian communities.
“While our primary focus is on military families, we also extend our support to IDP camps, hospitals, orphanages and other vulnerable groups,” she said.
The NAFOWA president commended the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the First Lady for setting a strong example of compassion, as well as the Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs for their support.
She urged the Federal Government to strengthen welfare packages for families of fallen heroes, particularly through timely payment of pensions and compensation, improved healthcare delivery and mental health support for those affected by post-traumatic stress.
Also speaking, the President of the Nigerian Air Force Widows Association (NAFWA), Mrs Grace Akpan, said the association was formed in 2018 to unite families of deceased Air Force personnel and serve as a communication bridge between the NAF and widows across the country.
According to Akpan, many widows and elderly dependants living in rural communities often lacked access to information, a gap the association had helped to close.
She said interventions by the Nigerian Air Force and NAFOWA had significantly eased the hardship faced by widows, particularly in the areas of food security and children’s education.
“Some of our mothers lost their spouses 30 or 40 years ago and have no means of livelihood. With this support, they can feed themselves and their grandchildren,” she said.
Akpan expressed gratitude to the leadership of the Nigerian Air Force and NAFOWA for their continued support, describing the outreach as life-changing for many beneficiaries.
Both associations called on well-meaning Nigerians, corporate organisations and development partners to collaborate in supporting widows and dependents of fallen personnel, noting that collective efforts were needed to sustain their welfare.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event featured free medical check-up and distribution of large quantities of food items.
Each beneficiary went home with a 50kg bag of rice, a bag of semovita, carton of indomie, 5 litres of vegetable oil, beans, gari, tomato paste and other items. (NAN)
