Soldiers’ Salaries Have More Than Doubled’ — Defence Minister Reveals ₦100,000 Monthly Pay

The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has disclosed that the Federal Government has more than doubled the monthly salary of Nigerian soldiers as part of efforts to improve their welfare.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking in an interview with News Central aired on Friday, the minister said entry-level soldiers who previously earned ₦49,000 per month now receive a minimum monthly salary of ₦100,000 following the government’s recent salary review.

According to him, the pay increase reflects the administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of military personnel, although he acknowledged that the defence sector still requires greater funding.

“When they started, a soldier was collecting ₦49,000 monthly. We worked very hard, and now he is collecting ₦100,000,” the minister said.

Asked whether the current defence budget was sufficient to address the military’s operational needs, Badaru responded that the allocation remained inadequate.

“It is not enough,” he stated.

The minister also rejected allegations that soldiers are poorly fed, describing such claims as misleading.

He referenced an incident involving a dismissed military officer known as Justice Crack, alleging that the former officer deliberately removed food items from a meal to create the impression that soldiers were being poorly catered for.

According to the minister, the meal contained meat and other food items before they were intentionally taken away to misrepresent the quality of food provided to troops.