The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Abia State chapter, Comrade Okoro Ogbonnaya, has called on the Federal Government and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, to urgently improve the welfare of widows of fallen Nigerian soldiers.
Comrade Okoro made the call while interacting with journalists during the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration held at the Aguiyi Ironsi Cenotaph in Umuahia.
He noted that while the nation gathers annually to honour fallen heroes, the welfare of serving soldiers and the families they leave behind remains grossly inadequate. According to him, interactions with serving personnel revealed deplorable working conditions, poor remuneration, and unpaid or insufficient allowances.
“Frankly speaking, even though we are commemorating Armed Forces Remembrance Day, the welfare of serving soldiers is not being properly taken care of,” Okoro said. “When you compare their pay with international standards, you will find that soldiers elsewhere earn far more, with the least being about ₦1.2 million, while some Nigerian soldiers barely take home about ₦110,000.”
He described the situation as unacceptable, considering the high-risk nature of their duties and the daily hazards they face. Okoro lamented that many soldiers lose their lives in the line of duty, leaving behind families who are often neglected.
“Some soldiers leave for duty in the morning and never return. Most times, their families are abandoned and not attended to, despite government promises,” he stated, adding that widows of fallen soldiers frequently lament worsening living conditions after the death of their husbands.
The NLC chairman urged the Federal Government and relevant authorities to urgently review and address the welfare of widows whose husbands died defending the nation’s integrity.
While commending Governor Alex Otti for initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of retired soldiers and legionnaires in Abia State, Okoro appealed to the governor to extend similar support to widows of fallen heroes.
He concluded by wishing Nigerians a peaceful and successful Armed Forces Remembrance Day 2026 and reaffirmed the need for sustained commitment to the welfare of both serving and fallen military personnel and their families.
