The Support Defense Trust (DEFEND TRUST FUND) has sought collaboration with the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen welfare support for military and paramilitary families across Nigeria.
During a courtesy visit to the Director of Logistics, CORE S.O. AbdulRaheem, the Lead Advocate of the organization, Muhammed Usman Thompson, said the partnership aims to enhance ongoing campaigns designed to empower families of serving and fallen personnel through education, entrepreneurship, and psychosocial support.
According to Thompson, the DEFEND Trust Fund Campaign is a national citizens’ movement advocating for the establishment of a ₦100 billion Defence Families Empowerment and Development Trust Fund. The initiative, he explained, will provide scholarships, vocational training, cooperative financing, and counseling services for families behind the uniform.
He said, “We believe that those who defend the nation deserve a system that also defends their families. This visit is about building bridges between civil society and the military to ensure that no family of a fallen hero is left behind.”
He added that collaboration with military institutions such as the AFCSC Jaji is critical to achieving nationwide impact. “Our goal is to create a sustainable support structure that transcends token gestures and temporary relief. We are here to work together to ensure dignity, hope, and opportunity for the families of those who serve,” he stated.
In his remarks, CORE S.O. AbdulRaheem commended the initiative and described it as timely and visionary. He said, “Your commitment to the welfare of military families is commendable.
The Armed Forces Command and Staff College will always support ideas that contribute to the well-being of personnel and their dependents.”
Thompson noted that the visit to AFCSC Jaji forms part of a series of institutional engagements by the DEFEND TRUST FUND aimed at building partnerships with the media, defense establishments, and civil society to drive sustainable impact and national awareness.
He concluded, “This campaign is not just a program — it’s a movement for justice, dignity, and the recognition of the silent sacrifices made by families of those who defend our nation.”
COV: Khadija Kubau
