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Wike’s Wife Seeks Special Fund For Military Officers’ Wives
The Wife of the Rivers State Governor, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike has called on the different tiers of government to establish special trust funds to cater for the needs of the wives of personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt, when she received the leadership of the Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA), last Friday, Justice Nyesom-Wike said such trust fund will encourage the armed forces personnel to serve the nation with greater commitment.
She stated that the trust fund will give families of Armed Forces personnel hope that they will never be abandoned, no matter the situation they find themselves.
She said: “I want to use this as an opportunity to call on governments at all levels to establish a special trust fund for the wives of officers and members of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“It is important because it will give them hope. They will all know that they have somewhere to draw from, especially when things are difficult”, she added.
The Rivers governor’s wife said that the fact a husband dies in active service should not be an end to livelihood of the women and their families.
She pointed out that the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike remains committed to the welfare of security personnel serving in the state.
Justice Nyesom-Wike described the women as special and hardworking, noting that being wives of officers of senior personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces make their role challenging.
She attributed the peace enjoyed in Rivers State to the wives of the security personnel whose efforts in keeping their homes have helped the security personnel to remain focused in discharging their duties.
She assured the leadership of NAOWA of the 6 Division that she will partner with them to actualize their objectives, adding that she will present their requests to the Rivers State governor for his support.
Earlier, the Maiden President of NAOWA of the 6 Division and wife of the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Mrs Grace Udoh, praised Governor Wike for transforming the state through the execution of numerous development projects.
She explained that NAOWA runs programmes designed to promote the welfare of children, women and youth, and called for government support.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.