The widow of a Nigerian driver accuses the Air Force of abandoning her family.

Nigeria: Boubacar Sane

Grace Joseph, the widow of commercial bus driver Joseph Okpe, accused the Nigerian Air Force of abandoning her family after the death of her husband, who she says was attacked by Air Force personnel on the Oshody-Apapa highway in Lagos State, in an incident that sparked widespread controversy within Nigeria.

The widow confirmed that her family has not received any significant support since the visit by Air Force officials following the incident, despite promises made to support the family and help them overcome the crisis caused by the death of the family's main breadwinner.

An incident that sparked widespread anger

According to reports, the incident occurred following a minor traffic dispute between the deceased driver and a vehicle carrying several members of the Air Force.

The victim's family says the driver was assaulted during the incident, before succumbing to his injuries.

The case sparked outrage on social media and in human rights circles, amid calls for a transparent investigation and for those responsible for the incident to be held accountable.

The Nigerian Air Force had previously announced the detention of all elements suspected of involvement in the incident, confirming that joint investigations had been opened in cooperation with the relevant military and civilian authorities to uncover the circumstances of the incident.

Promises of support that were not fulfilled

Grace Joseph said that Air Force officials who visited the family after the death offered their condolences and assured them of their willingness to help, but those promises did not translate into actual support on the ground.

She explained that the family received only a sum of money amounting to 200,000 naira during the condolence visit, noting that this support was a one-time thing and was not followed by any additional assistance or contact from the concerned parties.

She added that her husband was the main source of income for the family, and that his departure left her facing the responsibility of supporting 3 children alone in difficult living conditions.

The suffering of a family that lost its breadwinner

The widow spoke about the daily challenges she has faced since her husband's death, stressing that her three children, aged 14, 10 and 5, are still suffering from the effects of the loss.

She noted that her youngest child keeps asking about his father and cries constantly because he misses him, while the family is finding it difficult to adapt to the new reality after the departure of the head of the family.

She also recalled the last moments before the death was announced, explaining that she received a phone call informing her husband that he had been in an accident, before later receiving a call from the doctor confirming his death before she arrived at the hospital.

Call for government intervention

The widow appealed to the federal government to intervene to help her children and ensure their continued education, stressing that her husband had been covering all the family's expenses before his death.