The widows of military officers who died in the ill-fated Hercules C130 jet that crashed at Ejigbo in Lagos on September 26, 1992, have pleaded with the Federal Government and military authorities to pay their husbands’ entitlements.

Speaking on behalf of other widows, the wife of one of the victims (the late Navy Commander Lasisi), Mrs. Folake Lasisi, said 31 years after the incident, the victims’ families were yet to get their entitlements.

Mrs. Lasisi spoke yesterday during the distribution of palliatives to widows of deceased military officers in the Southsouth by the wife of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Mrs. Oghogho Musa, at the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

She lamented that most of the widows and children of the deceased officers had died out of suffering while many of their children could not get education support from government.

Mrs. Lasisi said: “I am standing here on behalf of the widows of Hercules C130 plane crash on December 26, 1992. We, the women, have not been given our entitlements.

“Sir, after 31 years, we want to be remembered, and they should review it and do something about it. Some of our colleagues have died; some of the children have died.

“So, please, take this massage back home to our mother, the mother of the nation, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, so that the nation and the military will attend to our matter.

“We want you to help us take our massage home back to the mother of the nation, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, and the Armed Forces too, that there are some things that are so dear to us.

“We want to feel that sense of belonging, even though our husbands are no longer there in our midst. We want to feel a sense of belonging. Because of that, there are some things that are necessary to do; that is, our children. There are some of them that are not getting their educational sponsorship. We want you to look at it and do something about it.”

Distributing the palliatives, Mrs. Musa described the widows of the deceased military officers as amazing.

She said: “These are the amazing women. We came here to celebrate. You have assured us of what it means to be resilient and accommodating. In the face of adversaries, you preferred to continue the legacy of your husbands and to carry on the faith of keeping the Nigerian nation united.

“You have given us so much. We hope this gift will bring joy and comfort to you and your families. These women are sisters, friends, and mothers. They are the wives of our beloved gallant officers and men who paid the supreme price while serving our dear country.

“As part of activities lined up for the Armed Forces celebration and Remembrance Day of Year 2024, the Defence Headquarters, in consultation with the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives’ Association (DPOWA) deemed it most appropriate to remember our fallen heroes and give them support,” she said.

The Chief of Defence Civil Military Relations, Real Admiral I. A. Dewu, said the palliatives were meant to be the expression of the Armed Forces for supporting the families of those who died in the service to the nation.
***
You can visit us for more news at: thenewsdesk.ng