A non-governmental organisation, the Defend Trust Fund Campaign (DTFC), has announced an ambitious initiative to raise ₦100 billion for the welfare of families of Nigeria’s military and paramilitary personnel.
The national empowerment programme is designed to provide comprehensive support for the spouses, children, and dependents of those who serve or have died in uniform.
Unveiling the plan at a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Kaduna on Monday, the Lead Advocate of the campaign, Mohammed Thompson, detailed that the “Defend Trust Fund” would offer scholarships, entrepreneurship grants, vocational training, cooperative financing, and psychosocial support. He announced that the movement aims to collect 100,000 citizens’ signatures over the next four months to demonstrate public support for the project.
The campaign, scheduled to run from October 6, 2025, to January 14, 2026, will advocate for the official establishment of the Defence Families Empowerment and Development Trust Fund. This proposed ₦100 billion national endowment seeks to “restore dignity and hope” to what he described as the often-forgotten families behind Nigeria’s armed forces and paramilitary services.
“Every day, men and women of Nigeria’s armed forces and paramilitary services put on their uniforms to defend the nation, often at great personal risk. Behind each of these brave individuals stands a family, spouses, children, parents and loved ones, who carry silent burdens,” Thompson stated.
He explained that the campaign was born from a deep concern over the socioeconomic neglect faced by these families, who often endure financial distress and emotional trauma after losing their breadwinners. “Many of these families face hardship, limited access to education, inadequate psychosocial support, and even eviction from barracks after losing their loved ones,” he lamented. “Too often, when the nation moves on, these families are left behind.”
Thompson, who described the cause as “deeply personal,” shared that he grew up in a military barracks. “I grew up in military barracks where I saw more obituary pictures than birthday or wedding pictures combined. I’ve watched families thrown out of their homes after the death of their breadwinner in active duty. I’ve seen too many non-commissioned officers’ families live in abject poverty because of meagre salaries and the absence of structured support. This campaign is about justice, dignity, and hope for the families behind the uniform,” he recalled.
He emphasized that the Defend Trust Fund is conceived not as a charity, but as a sustainable national social justice mechanism designed to institutionalise support and help these families lead productive lives. Thompson also noted that the initiative aligns with the Tinubu administration’s economic inclusion agenda and ongoing reforms aimed at protecting vulnerable groups.
The campaign is being launched in partnership with the NUJ, which is expected to play a leading role in mobilising national awareness and driving advocacy for the project. “Through this partnership, we aim to galvanise nationwide awareness and mobilise voices to make this initiative a reality,” Thompson said.
He further stated that the Defend Trust Fund draws inspiration from international models, citing established programmes such as the Armed Forces Covenant Fund in the United Kingdom, the Military Families Fund in Canada, and similar veteran and service family trust programs in the United States. “Nigeria must not be left behind,” he concluded.
