Irabor: Military’s Involvement in Insurgency War at High Price

*Says barracks filled with families of fallen officers, soldiers

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

President of the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs Vickie Irabor, yesterday, lamented that the involvement of the military in tackling security challenges had come at a high price with the death of officers and soldiers, who left behind families in most barracks.

This comes as the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya and Mrs Irabor, who is also the wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, commended Mrs Mariam Abacha, wife of the late Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, over her role in setting up the Defence and Police Officers Wives Association and Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA).

They made the commendation at the graduation ceremony of the 11th Batch of widows, who graduated from the DEPOWA Skill Acquisition Center in Abuja.

Irabor said in spite of the response of officers and soldiers to the call for the defence of the nation, the death of the gallant officers and men had left many families in the barracks without their bread winners.

“In the last decade, Nigeria has faced major challenges with insecurity and terrorism. Soldiers and officers have answered the call to defend the nation and though we have recorded success, it has not come at a small price. We have lost gallant men, fathers, brothers, who in the course of duty, have left families behind all over our barracks.

“DEPOWA has taken it up as a challenge to address the elephant in our community by upgrading the DEPOWA Skills Acquisition Centre (DSAC) to empower widows with different skills and trainings, thereby giving them a trade to carry on the good work left behind by their bread winners,” she said.

Commending Mrs Abacha and describing her as “a national treasure, a woman amongst women, a woman with foresight,” for her role in the programme, Irabor said, “I thank you mummy for your role in putting DEPOWA together and for your invaluable advice and love.”

Also speaking, the army chief further commended Mrs Abacha for her role in the coming into place of DEPOWA and NAOWA and urged graduands to deploy the skills acquired appropriately. He later announced the donation of N100,000 each to the graduands.

In her remarks, Mrs Abacha, who once headed the two associations, commended the leadership of the DEPOWA for sustaining the empowerment programme and enthused: “I planted a seed, DEPOWA and NAOWA and it has flourished.”