Life turned upside down for Dausiya Murtala, the young widow of a late Nigerian soldier, who now struggles daily just to put food on the table for her four children. Once the wife of a man in uniform serving his nation, she now survives by selling firewood after being abandoned by her husband’s relatives and neglected by the very military authorities her husband gave his life serving.
Her husband was stationed in Kursati, Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State, when he suddenly fell ill. His colleagues rushed him home, but sadly, within hours, he passed away—leaving Dausiya and their little children to face the world alone.
💔 Just days after his death, the widow and her children were ejected from the army barracks in Takum, the only home they knew. She relocated to Katsina, where life has been nothing short of a battle for survival. Although part of her husband’s entitlements was paid—enough for her to buy a small house—the money soon finished. The promised balance has never come.
She now sells firewood to feed her children and struggles to pay their school fees. With no relatives around to lean on, and her husband’s family denying her access to the land he owned, Dausiya has been left to fend for herself. She says her only hope may be to sell her house and move to Maigatari in Jigawa State or Kano, just to start a small business and give her children a chance at a brighter future.
“My priority is to ensure my children are educated,” she said with determination, recalling how much her late husband valued education.
Now, her heartfelt plea is simple: that the Nigerian Army release the balance of her husband’s benefits so she can properly care for her children. “Please, help me sponsor my children’s education and feed them well,” she begged.
