‘Our Soldiers Now Earn ₦100,000 Monthly’ — Defence Minister

 

By Abel Chigozie 

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has disclosed that Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of ₦100,000, following a recent upward review by the Federal Government aimed at improving the welfare of military personnel. 

Musa made the disclosure during an interview with News Central, stating that the increase represents a significant improvement from the previous minimum salary of ₦49,000.

According to him, the Federal Government remains committed to boosting the morale of troops despite the financial challenges facing the military.

Speaking on the defence budget, the minister admitted that funding for the Armed Forces is still inadequate.

 "It's not enough," Musa said when asked if the current defence allocation was sufficient, adding that government has nevertheless made efforts to improve the welfare of soldiers. 

The minister also called for the death penalty for kidnappers, arguing that Nigeria's existing laws are too lenient and have failed to deter criminal activities.

"There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that's why people take advantage. Once people know there are severe consequences, it will discourage such crimes," he said. 

Commenting on the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State, Musa alleged that the kidnappers were attempting to pressure the military into releasing some of their detained commanders.

He further revealed that the abductors threatened to kill the children if security forces intensified rescue operations, describing the situation as unfortunate and complex. 

The defence minister also dismissed claims that soldiers are poorly fed, insisting that reports circulating online were misleading.

According to him, a military officer identified as Justice Crack deliberately removed meat and other food items from soldiers' meals to create the false impression that troops were being poorly catered for.