Fund Unveils Initiative To Raise N100bn To Support Families Of Fallen Heroes

A nationwide campaign has been launched to push for the establishment of the ‘DEFEND Trust Fund’, a N100 billion initiative aimed at supporting the families of Nigeria’s Armed Forces and paramilitary personnel who have died or suffered in the line of duty.
The campaign, titled “100,000 Voices in 100 Days: A National Call to Empower the Families Behind the Uniform”, was inaugurated in Kaduna yesterday by Mohammed Usman-Thompson, the Lead Advocate of the fund’s campaign.
According to Usman-Thompson, the campaign seeks to gather 100,000 signatures between Oct. 6, 2025, and Jan. 14, 2026, as a petition to the Federal Government and National Assembly to establish the ‘Defence Families Empowerment and Development Trust Fund (DEFEND) Trust Fund’.
He said the fund would provide scholarships, entrepreneurship and vocational training, cooperative financing, and psychosocial support for the families of uniformed personnel, especially those who had lost their lives or ability to serve.
“I grew up in military barracks where I saw more obituary pictures than birthday or wedding pictures.
“I have watched families evicted from barracks after the death of their breadwinner,” Usman-Thompson said.
He added that the campaign was both personal and national,saying, “this is about justice, dignity, and hope for the families behind the uniform.”
The organisers stated that the launch aligned with the current administration’s agenda to empower vulnerable groups and promote financial inclusion.
They argued that the proposed fund was a timely and necessary social investment to honour and protect the nation’s defenders.
In a show of strategic collaboration, the campaign was being launched in partnership with the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), recognising the media’s vital role in advocacy, policy engagement, and national mobilisation.
International examples were cited, including models from the UK, Canada, Australia, and the United States, where statutory programs are in place to support military families.
The campaign urged Nigeria to follow suit and institutionalise care for those who bear the burden of national security.
According to him, the campaign was calling on all civilians, uniformed personnel, civil society, and policymakers to sign the petition online at www.supportdtf.org and lend their voices to the cause.
He said, “We appreciate members of the press for your presence and your platfo.
“Your voices are crucial in taking this campaign from public opinion to public policy.
“Together, we will make the DEFEND Trust Fund a national reality.”