The National President of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Chief Mrs. Olufunmilola Disu, has provided business grants, food items and starter packs to women traders and widows during unannounced visits to police barracks markets in Abuja.

The two-day outreach took place at Area C Police Barracks in Nyanya and the 44 Police Mobile Force (PMF) Barracks in Kuje ahead of the 2026 POWA National Convention scheduled for 16–18 July.

Instead of notifying residents in advance, Mrs. Disu walked through the markets, speaking directly with traders, widows and spouses of serving police officers to better understand the financial pressures affecting their businesses.

She observed that many shops had limited stock, with several women explaining that rising costs and limited capital had made it difficult to keep their businesses running.

After listening to their concerns, the POWA President immediately distributed cash support, business grants, food items and starter packs to selected beneficiaries to help them rebuild their businesses.

Why it matters

Police officers often work in demanding and high-risk environments, while many of their families depend on small businesses to supplement household income.

For widows of officers who died in active service, access to financial support can be critical in maintaining family livelihoods, paying school fees and sustaining small enterprises.

The intervention also highlights growing efforts by welfare organisations to complement government support through targeted economic empowerment programmes.

POWA explains the outreach

Mrs. Disu said the visits were deliberately unscheduled to allow her to witness the realities facing police families without prior preparations.

“I wanted to meet our women in their everyday environment, listen to them, and see their challenges for myself. It is only when we understand their realities that we can provide support that truly meets their needs.”

She said the intervention forms part of the POWA CARES Initiative, which promotes healthcare, welfare and economic empowerment for police families in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

According to her, the outreach also reflects the goals of the upcoming POWA National Convention, themed “The Resilient Woman: Navigating Life’s Challenges with Strength, Purpose and Grace.”

She said the convention will focus on healthcare and mental wellness, economic empowerment and strengthening support systems for police families nationwide.

Beneficiaries welcome the support

One of the beneficiaries, Abigail John, said she never expected the POWA President to visit her shop personally.

“She came to my shop, saw the challenges I was facing and decided to support my business. I am truly grateful for her kindness.”

Rebecca Atahiru, a widow who has raised her children alone since losing her husband in active service 15 years ago, described the intervention as a source of hope and encouragement.

Grace Ameh, an egg trader and wife of a police inspector, praised the initiative and encouraged more wives of serving officers to participate in POWA programmes.

Expert perspective

Social development experts say direct support for women-owned micro-businesses can help families cope with inflation and improve household resilience.

They note, however, that one-off grants are most effective when combined with access to affordable finance, business training and long-term mentoring to help beneficiaries sustain their businesses.

Industry and public perspective

Welfare advocates say organisations supporting security personnel increasingly recognise that the wellbeing of officers is closely linked to the economic stability of their families.

They argue that empowering spouses and supporting widows can strengthen morale within the police service while helping vulnerable households become more financially independent.

What’s next?

Attention now shifts to the 2026 POWA National Convention, where delegates are expected to discuss programmes aimed at improving healthcare, mental wellness, entrepreneurship and welfare support for police families across Nigeria.

The Abuja outreach signals that practical economic empowerment is likely to remain a central pillar of POWA’s activities beyond the convention.

Nigeria and Egypt are set to strengthen cooperation against illicit drug trafficking after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Egyptian anti-narcotics authorities.

The agreement is expected to boost intelligence sharing, joint operations and capacity building as both countries seek to tackle increasingly sophisticated drug trafficking networks operating across Africa.

The proposal emerged during a meeting on Tuesday in Abuja between NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), and Egypt’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad.

Why it matters

Drug trafficking remains one of Africa’s growing security and public health challenges, fuelling organised crime, addiction and violence while threatening regional stability.

Security experts say stronger collaboration between countries has become increasingly important as international drug cartels continue to exploit weak borders and emerging trafficking routes across the continent.

Speaking during the meeting, Marwa said the growing global drug problem requires countries to work together rather than fight criminal networks in isolation.

“The drug problem is a global challenge. Nowhere is untouched. The drug menace is everywhere in the world and it is for this reason that we have this kind of collaboration. We collaborate with the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Bureau of the US, the National Crime Agency of the UK, the UK Border Force, the French Police, the German Criminal Police, our counterparts in Narcotics Control Bureau of India, Home Office International Operations of the UK and many more.”

He added:

“We are therefore very excited that we’re going to collaborate with Egypt through an MoU. We’ve had recent headaches, I think because of the pressure from elsewhere, so the drug cartels are trying to find other alternatives in Africa but we have to stay united and push them out of our continent.”

NDLEA points to recent successes

Marwa said Nigeria’s anti-drug agency has recently disrupted major international drug operations, including methamphetamine laboratories allegedly operated by Mexican nationals.

According to him:

“They are coming this way from Mexico, and just about two months ago, we were able to take down, a methamphetamine lab, that was worth $362 million. The Mexicans themselves were manufacturing it in Nigeria, in the deep jungle, but we’re able to take it down. And we’ve also dismantled another meth lab run by some other Mexicans in a different state recently.”

He said formalising cooperation with Egypt would strengthen institutional ties between the two countries’ drug enforcement agencies.

“So, I’m quite happy that Nigeria and Egypt have been working on an MoU to further our cooperation in this very important area. I think signing the MoU will pave the way for a more institutional cooperation between our competent agencies combating narcotics.”

Egypt seeks stronger continental response

Egypt’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad, described the proposed partnership as an opportunity for Africa’s two largest countries to jointly confront narcotics trafficking.

He said:

“Overall, I think it’s important for Egypt and Nigeria to enhance our bilateral cooperation in this area. Egypt and Nigeria being the two prominent African countries, should be able to address the challenge of combating narcotics from a continental perspective, which I think is impacting societies all over the continent.”

The ambassador added:

“So, I’m on this visit to discuss with you what we can do together in terms of combating illicit trade and trafficking narcotics and to learn more about your priorities as an agency and how bilateral cooperation with Egypt can help and support the outstanding job that you’re carrying out here in Nigeria in combating narcotics.”

Expert perspective

Security analysts say intelligence sharing has become one of the most effective tools against transnational organised crime because traffickers increasingly operate across multiple countries.

They note that bilateral agreements can improve investigations, speed up information exchange and strengthen coordinated border enforcement, making it more difficult for criminal syndicates to exploit jurisdictional gaps.

Public and industry impact

For Nigerians, stronger regional cooperation could help reduce the availability of illicit drugs, improve public safety and strengthen efforts to protect young people from substance abuse.

The partnership may also reinforce Africa’s wider security architecture by encouraging more countries to share intelligence and coordinate enforcement against international drug trafficking networks.

What’s next?

Officials from both countries are expected to conclude discussions and formally sign the Memorandum of Understanding, paving the way for coordinated investigations, joint operations, specialised training and greater institutional cooperation between their anti-drug agencies.

The principal of Community High School in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs Rachael Alamu, has said kidnappers deliberately killed two teachers during a 56-day captivity to force the government into conceding to their demands.

Speaking after she and other rescued pupils and teachers were received by Governor Seyi Makinde at the Oyo State Government House on Monday, Alamu described weeks of fear, hardship and uncertainty in the forest while trying to protect the children.

Why it matters

The account provides one of the clearest first-hand descriptions of what happened inside the kidnappers’ camp and highlights the growing danger of attacks on schools in Nigeria.

The incident has renewed concerns over school safety, the welfare of victims after rescue and the need for stronger security measures to protect students and teachers.

Principal recounts killings in captivity

According to Alamu, the kidnappers executed two teachers during the ordeal to increase pressure on the authorities.

“There are times that we have hope that we will all come out alive. The terrorists killed Mr Michael, the first teacher, on the second day of our abduction and Deacon, the second teacher, was killed on the first Sunday of June.

“They killed them purposely because they thought it would force the hand of the government to provide them whatever they wanted. They already knew that the whole world was interested in our case. We have scars already, and we believe that God will heal us. We appreciate everyone that contributed to this success.”

The victims were identified as Mathematics teacher Mr Michael Oyedokun, who was beheaded in captivity, and Mr Esiyan Adegboye, 49, who was shot during the attack on the school. Adegboye was buried in Ogbomoso on 22 May.

56 days in the forest

Alamu said the abductees spent most of their 56 days in captivity sleeping in the open forest under harsh weather conditions.

She explained that keeping the children alive and emotionally stable became the group’s biggest challenge.

“You can only imagine it. It was not easy. We were in the forest, in the open, most of the time, under the sun and under the rain, with the children. But we kept going because there was no way out.

“We knew it was only God that could help us, and we believed people were praying for us. That kept us going.”

Although she said she was not physically assaulted, several younger pupils were beaten whenever they cried or made noise.

Government takes over victims’ care

The rescued pupils and teachers were handed over to the Oyo State Government after security agencies secured their release following more than 50 days in captivity.

Before Monday’s official reception, the victims had been receiving medical treatment and psychosocial support at the Military Hospital in Ibadan, where Governor Seyi Makinde visited them.

Video footage circulating online showed the victims arriving under heavy military security before being escorted into the state secretariat.

The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, also visited the survivors at the hospital.

Expert perspective

Security analysts say kidnappers increasingly use violence against hostages to intensify pressure on governments and families, making intelligence-led rescue operations and preventive security around schools more critical than ransom negotiations alone.

Mental health professionals also note that survivors of prolonged captivity, particularly children, often require long-term counselling and trauma care to aid recovery and reintegration into school and society.

Public reaction

The rescue has been welcomed by many Nigerians, but the deaths of two teachers have renewed calls for improved security in rural communities and schools vulnerable to attacks.

Parents, education advocates and community leaders have urged federal and state authorities to strengthen early warning systems and expand security presence around schools to prevent similar incidents.

What’s next?

The rescued pupils and teachers are expected to continue receiving medical and psychological support before returning to their communities.

Authorities are also expected to continue investigations and efforts to apprehend those responsible for the abduction and killings.