Dausiya Murtala, the widow of a late Nigerian soldier, has shared her heartbreaking story of hardship after losing her husband. Left without support from his family and the military, she now sells firewood to provide for her four children.
Her husband, who served in Kursati, Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State, fell ill suddenly and was brought home by his colleagues, only to pass away hours later. Since his death, Dausiya and her children were forced to leave their military barracks residence in Takum. She moved to Katsina, where she has struggled to survive for the past three years.
Although she received a portion of her husband’s benefits—which she used to buy a small house—the funds have since run out. She claims there are still unpaid entitlements owed to her, but no further payments have been made.
“Life has been extremely difficult,” she told reporters. “I have no help from my late husband’s relatives, and I rely on selling firewood just to feed my children and pay their school fees.”
Originally from Maigatari in Jigawa State, Dausiya has no family in Katsina to lean on. She has chosen not to burden her elderly parents with her struggles. To make matters worse, her husband’s family has refused to grant her access to a piece of land he reportedly owned in Katsina.
With no other options, she is considering selling her house and relocating to either Maigatari or Kano to start a small business. “My greatest wish is to educate my children—it’s what my husband would have wanted,” she said.
She has called on the Nigerian Army to release the remaining benefits owed to her late husband, pleading for assistance to secure her children’s future. “I beg the military to help me so I can take care of my children properly,” she added.
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