•General Christopher Musa (rtd)
Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), says the minimum monthly salary for soldiers has increased to ₦100,000 following a federal government review aimed at improving military welfare.
Speaking in an interview with News Central aired yesterday, Musa said the salary adjustment nearly doubled the previous minimum pay of ₦49,000 but acknowledged that funding for the armed forces remained inadequate.
“It’s not enough,” the minister said when asked whether the current defence budget sufficiently meets the military’s operational needs.
“When they started, a soldier was collecting ₦49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting ₦100,000,” he added.
Musa also called for the introduction of the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, arguing that tougher punishments were needed to deter the growing wave of abductions across the country.
“I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage. If they know once you commit an offence, there must be punishment,” he said.
Commenting on the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State, the minister alleged that the kidnappers were seeking to pressure the military into releasing some of their detained leaders.
“For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us, and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commanders,” Musa said.
He added that the abductors had threatened to kill the children if security forces intensified rescue operations.
Musa also rejected claims circulating on social media that soldiers were being poorly fed, insisting the allegations were misleading.
Referring to a viral video involving a military officer identified as Justice Crack, he alleged that the officer deliberately removed food items from a meal before recording it to create a false impression.
“The soldier’s food was okay. There was meat and other items, but he told them to remove those things and make it appear as if they were not there,” the minister said.
Nigeria’s Armed Forces have faced mounting pressure in recent years as they battle insurgency in the northeast, banditry in the northwest, separatist violence in the southeast and widespread kidnapping-for-ransom across several parts of the country. Successive governments have pledged to improve troops’ welfare as part of broader efforts to strengthen security operations.
