Family of Late Maina Sule Appeals to Nigerian Military Over Unfulfilled Promises

By Babatunji Wusu

• The family of the late Maina Sule, who tragically died in a road incident in Maiduguri in September 2024, is pleading for the Nigerian military to honor support commitments made to them.

• Widow Aisha Kyari recounts the military’s initial visit, where they brought the remains, apologized, and provided minimal financial and food assistance, as well as promising further aid that has yet to materialize.

• The family, including two sickle cell-afflicted children, currently relies on donations from local residents and mosque handouts for survival.

• Community members acknowledge their ongoing but increasingly stretched support amid economic hardship, urging broader assistance for the widow and her children.

• Nearly a year since Sule’s death, the family continues to face severe hardship, struggling with inadequate care for sick children and awaiting justice and compensation.

In September 2024, Maina Sule, a father of nine and driver, was crushed along Baga road in Maiduguri. The Nigerian military initially responded by returning his remains to the family, expressing apologies, and providing modest assistance, including N10,000 for Sule’s daughter and food supplies. Military personnel also attended the third-day prayers and pledged to support the family with housing, food, healthcare for two sickle cell-affected children, and educational sponsorship for the children.

However, widow Aisha Kyari laments that these promises remain unfulfilled nearly ten months later, leaving the family in dire circumstances. She described their heavy reliance on community donations and mosque charity, struggling daily to meet basic needs and care for their sick children. Community members, while committed to helping, highlight the toll of economic hardship on their capacity to assist and appeal for wider support to aid the family’s survival and dignity.

The plea underscores the urgent need for institutional follow-through on commitments and highlights ongoing challenges faced by vulnerable families affected by tragic incidents in Nigeria.