The Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Lagos State command, has empowered 100 widows of deceased police officers with cash gifts and food items as part of activities marking the 2026 International Widows’ Day.

The humanitarian outreach, held on Monday at the POWA Secretariat in GRA, Ikeja, had the theme “Justice, Dignity and Economic Power for Police Widows.”

The programme was organised in line with the directive of the national president of POWA, Mutiat Disu, to promote compassion, inclusion and social welfare among vulnerable members of the police community.

The chairperson of POWA, Lagos State command, Adekemi Tijani, reaffirmed the commitment of the association toward improving the welfare of widows of fallen police officers through sustained support, empowerment and compassion.

Mrs Tijani described the widows as resilient women who had made enormous sacrifices alongside their late spouses in service to the nation, stressing that they deserved continued care, dignity and encouragement.

According to her, the programme is organised to honour their resilience, reassure them that they are not forgotten and provide practical support to help them rebuild their lives.

She urged the beneficiaries to remain hopeful despite the challenges they faced, assuring them that POWA would continue to stand by them and create opportunities to improve their well-being.

The chairperson also encouraged the widows to remain united, embrace empowerment initiatives and continue striving for a better future for themselves and their families.

She said the association would continue to initiate programmes aimed at uplifting vulnerable families within the police community, particularly widows and their children.

Mrs Tijani also appealed to corporate organisations, development partners and well-meaning Nigerians to support initiatives that improve the welfare of families of police officers who paid the ultimate price in service to the nation.

The chairperson expressed appreciation to the inspector-general of police, Olatunji Disu; the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force; and other partners for their continued support of POWA’s humanitarian programmes.

Mrs Tijani encouraged the widows to remain courageous and optimistic, assuring them that the association would continue to walk the journey with them while remaining committed to their welfare and empowerment.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, the secretary of the Late Police Officer Wives Association (LAPOWA), Modupe Adebayo, expressed appreciation to POWA for the gesture, describing the support as timely and reassuring amid prevailing economic challenges.

She said the intervention would go a long way in alleviating their hardships and urged the association to sustain the initiative.

In addition to empowerment, the programme featured a health talk and free medical screenings, with beneficiaries receiving health education and basic medical checks, including blood pressure and blood sugar tests. 

(NAN)