Widows of military officers who died in the Hercules C130 military jet that crashed in Lagos on 26 December 1992, have called on the Nigerian military and the Federal Government to pay them their late husbands’ entitlements.
The military transport plane crashed soon after takeoff from Lagos, killing all 163 people aboard.
Many of those killed were believed to be middle-ranking army, navy, and air force officers attending a staff college course in the North.
“The plane nose-dived three minutes after takeoff into a swampy area”, an official had said.
They made the call during the distribution of palliatives to widows of deceased military officers in the South-South by the wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Oghogho Musa, at the headquarters of the 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt.
Speaking on behalf of the widows Mrs Folake Lasisi, wife of late Navy Commander Lasisi, who died in the plane crash, said 31 years after the incident, the families of the victims had yet to get their entitlements.
Mrs Lasisi said most of the widows and children of the deceased officers had died and many of their children were not getting education support or sponsorship from the government.
She stated, “I am standing here on behalf of the widows of the Hercules C130 plane crash on 26th December 1992. We 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 us have died, and some of our children have died, so please take this message 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 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 and because of that there are some things that are necessary to do. There are some of our children who are not getting their educational sponsorship; we want you to look at it and do something about it”.
Distributing the palliatives, including foodstuffs, to the windows, the wife of Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Musa, said the widows of deceased military officers as amazing women who had dedicated their lives to marrying military men who served the armed forces of Nigeria.
She commended the women for their resolve to marry military men, saying the palliatives were one of the ways of showing appreciation to them.
“These are the amazing women we came here to celebrate with you. You have assured us what it means to be resilient and accommodating and 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.
“As part of our activities lined up for the armed forces celebration and remembrance day of the year 2024, the Defence Headquarters, in consultation with the defence and police officers wives association, deemed it most appropriate to remember our fallen heroes and give them support”.
In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Civil-Military Relations, Rear Admiral I.A. Dewu, said the items distributed were a tangible expression of the armed forces of Nigeria for providing support to the families of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the course of service to the nation.
