Reactions have continued to trail the disclosure by the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, that the minimum monthly salary for Nigerian soldiers is now N100,000, with veterans and serving personnel describing the amount as inadequate in the face of rising living costs.
Several retired military officers argued that the current salary does not reflect the risks and sacrifices associated with military service.
Retired soldier Abdul Isiak said the amount is insufficient given the country’s economic realities, adding that improved welfare would boost the morale and performance of troops.
Another retired serviceman, Zaki Williams, questioned whether soldiers currently receive the stated amount, insisting that the pay remains too low for personnel engaged in the nation’s security operations.
The Coordinator of the Coalition for Concerned Veterans, Abiodun Herbert-Durowaye, also criticised the salary, saying soldiers who risk their lives daily deserve better remuneration to cater for their families and cope with the rising cost of living.
The reactions followed comments by Defence Minister Christopher Musa during a television interview, where he said the Federal Government had increased the minimum monthly salary of soldiers from N49,000 to N100,000 as part of efforts to improve their welfare.
Despite the increase, the minister acknowledged that the defence sector remains underfunded and said the current budget is still insufficient to meet the military’s needs.
Musa also renewed his call for tougher penalties against kidnappers, advocating the death penalty as a deterrent to rising cases of abduction across the country.
Speaking on the recent kidnapping of schoolchildren in Oyo State, the minister alleged that the abductors were attempting to pressure security agencies into releasing some of their detained commanders. He added that the kidnappers had threatened to kill the victims if security forces intensified rescue efforts.
The minister also dismissed claims of poor feeding within the military, maintaining that reports circulating on social media were misleading.
Meanwhile, serving military personnel who spoke anonymously urged the Federal Government to implement the salary review announced by President Bola Tinubu in March 2026.
The officers said the promised salary adjustment has yet to take effect, despite assurances from the President that improving the welfare of members of the Armed Forces would remain a priority.
According to them, poor remuneration is affecting morale, increasing the number of personnel leaving service without authorisation, and making military recruitment more difficult as fewer young Nigerians view the profession as financially attractive.
They warned that failure to improve soldiers’ welfare could weaken the country’s security efforts and appealed to the Federal Government to fulfil its commitment without further delay.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu on Thursday presided over a high-level security meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja with service chiefs, intelligence heads and senior security advisers.
The closed-door meeting reviewed the country’s security situation following recent military operations against terrorists and bandits in parts of Zamfara, Katsina and the North-East.
Although details of the meeting were not officially released, it came amid ongoing military offensives against armed groups and renewed efforts to strengthen national security.
