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Defence Minister Says Soldiers Now Earn Minimum of ₦100,000 Monthly
By
Meeyah
Minister of Defence Christopher Musa has said Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of ₦100,000, up from ₦49,000, as part of efforts to improve personnel welfare.
Speaking during an interview on News Central on Wednesday, July 9, Musa said the military has also improved food rations for troops, although he noted that the armed forces remain underfunded.
“When they started, a soldier was collecting ₦49,000 monthly. We tried so hard. Now he’s collecting ₦100,000,” he said.
The minister also rejected claims that soldiers deployed in counter-insurgency operations are poorly fed. Referring to a viral social media video by critic Justice Crack, Musa alleged that the content misrepresented the quality of meals provided to troops.
“The soldier’s food was okay. There was meat and other items, but he told them to pull out those things and make it look as if they were not there,” Musa said.
Commenting on the recent abduction of pupils in Oyo State, the minister described the incident as unfortunate and alleged that the kidnappers were seeking the release of some of their detained commanders.
According to Musa, the abductors threatened to kill the children if security forces attempted a rescue operation.
“They are now threatening that if we come any closer, they’re going to kill all the kids,” he said.
