Ombatse: Months after, slain cops’ widows still crying

The widows who spoke with our reporter in the Akwanga Primary School, expressed the challenges facing them since the unfortunate demise of their breadwinners. Thirteen of them gathered, but only 10 were able to speak.“Things haven’t been easy for all of us as we’ve been having many challenges. When our husbands left on that day, […]

The widows who spoke with our reporter in the Akwanga Primary School, expressed the challenges facing them since the unfortunate demise of their breadwinners. Thirteen of them gathered, but only 10 were able to speak.
“Things haven’t been easy for all of us as we’ve been having many challenges. When our husbands left on that day, they told us they were going for a special duty but that the destination wasn’t disclosed to them. Those of us who were around prayed for them. They told us they would be back. That was the end of it,” Afiniki Daniel whose husband was a sergeant narrated the story.
Afiniki added, “Three months on, we are in pitiable condition. We now face unnecessary pressure from relatives of our late husbands. We wake up every day only for our kids to ask us when their fathers would return, thinking that they’re still on the special assignment. It’s really a pathetic situation for us.
“The only thing that our husbands’ relatives know how to do is asking for money that was given to us. They usually call us to ask of the money whereas we only hear of the donations on radio without seeing anything. We got N2 million from the federal and state governments. Some of us, our husbands’ relatives went with us and collected the money.
“During the visit of Governor Martins Elechi of Ebonyi State to sympathize with us, it was announced that he donated foodstuffs and millions of naira, but only the foodstuffs got to us,” Afiniki, who is a mother of four revealed.
Onyeche Noah, mother of one from Benue State said since the killing of her husband, she hardly eats or sleeps, adding that the harassment she faces from her husband’s family is unspeakable.
Noah who broke into tears while speaking with our reporter added, “All my siblings have passed on. Now I’m left to mourn my husband, yet I don’t have rest of mind. There is so much pressure from his family. What we want from the government now is for them to give us jobs no matter how small so that we can sustain our children.”
Also from Benue State, Blessing John, mother of one, said her house rent is due. She is not certain if she can renew it. She urged the government to do something to mitigate their sufferings.
“I don’t know if the landlord will allow me to stay for some time. If he doesn’t allow me to stay, I don’t know what to do. This is the situation we find ourselves in,” she said.
Similarly, Afiniki complained of the inability of President Goodluck Jonathan to visit them and see for himself the condition they are in, saying, “Our husbands were killed like chickens while actively serving the country as security men. But the president did not deem it fit to visit and sympathize with us. He didn’t send anyone for that purpose; even his wife who is like the mother of the nation didn’t come.”
Lamenting their situation, Sarah Gideon, from Kaduna State said, “The death of our husbands brought so much pains to our lives. We’re still in pains. We went to Lafia for the prayers of our husbands, and they announced that monetary donations were made, but we didn’t see them. Even the foodstuffs given in our name were not given to us completely.”
Victoria Elisha, whose husband was a Sergeant from Kaduna State is left with five kids to fend for. She said her major concern at present is the disturbance from the family of her husband, who always call to ask of the money given to her.
“Each time they hear on radio that there will be monetary assistance from government, they call to ask us. My husband lived with me with fear of God. But his family members have turned their back to me. They don’t show any concern. As we talk now, some of us have been given quit notices to vacate the houses we live in. So, I call on the government to force the families of our husbands to desist from harassing us,” she said.
Josephine Daman from Plateau State, a mother of three children, and Rita Benjamin, mother of two from Adamawa State called on the government to intervene in their situation by providing them jobs.
Another set of widows, Victoria Gukat and Happy Marfem whose husbands were from Plateau State told our reporter that they are now being mocked by the people who they respected so much.
However, Mary Chinda from Adamawa State stated that she does not face any challenge with her husband’s family as they give her all the necessary support. But she called on the government to ensure that all that is due to them comes their way to ameliorate their sufferings.