Nigerian Army clear allegations wey ex-soja make on welfare and salaries of Army personnel - how dem dey pay dem?

Di Nigerian Army don describe as fake tori wey dey spread on top di welfare, salary, plus di provision of uniforms and protective equipment for Nigerian Army personnel.

Di Army reaction dey come afta di interview one dismissed Lance Corporal Rotimi Olamilekan, wey dey popular as "Soja Boi" grant on "Honest Bunch Podcast" recently.

For di interview, Soja Boi bin tok about dia salary, and e allege say na personnel dey buy dia own uniform, boots and protective equipment wey include bulletproof vests and helmets.

Di interview wey don since go viral and don make Nigerians dey question personnel salary and why na dem dey buy dia own uniforms. Dem link am to di insecurity for di kontri.

Di Nigerian Army for statement wey di Acting Director Army Public Relations Col. Appolonia Anele issue on Tuesday tok say wetin di dismissed soja, Ex-18NA/77/1009 Lance Corporal Rotimi Olamilekan tok for di interview "no be true".

Oga Anele for di statement clear di air on why dem dismiss Olamilekan from di Army for March.

Wetin Soja Boi tok for interview

For di interview wit Honest Brunch Podcast, wey feature human rights activist and politician, Omoyele Sowore, di dismissed soja wey serve wit di 81 Division Task Force Battalion for Borno State, bin give details of how much e dey collect as salary wen e dey for service.

"As soja, presently (bifor dem dismiss am for March), dem dey pay me, di last salary wey I collect for Army na 109,000, naira, 111,000 naira. But bifor dat, na just last year, February dem increase di salary. Bifor na 51,000 naira, attached wit di 20,000 naira skilled allowance" e tok.

E add say di allowances push di total earnings to about 71,000 naira bifor di increment, wey e say e no even reach to survive wit.

Di interviewer ask am how e take dey survive wit di salary, e say, "Di suffer no be small, apart from di salary, notin again dey enta for you as a soja," e add.

Olamilekan further allege say na sojas dey responsible for buying dia uniforms and essential gear, wey e say dia cost even pass dia monthly salary.

Wen dem ask am about uniform, Olamilekan say, "Ask any soja, dem no dey give uniform, we dey buy am. Na you go buy uniform, na you go buy boots, na you go buy anytin you wan use".

E give cost estimate say di uniform dey cost about 55,000 naira and di boots about 60,000 naira.

Wen dem ask am about protective equipment - bulletproof vests and helmets, di ex-soja claim say di Army no dey provide am and say na dem dey buy am diasef.

"I swear, nobodi go give you," di ex-soja tok.

E say di Army dey make dose equipment available only during high-profile visits.

"If you see say maybe soja wear dat tin, e go be say dem get big visitor, maybe govnor or dem wan go occasion as escort, dem go just pack am come," e tok.

Di allegations no be true - Nigerian Army

Di Nigerian Army for dia reactions to Ex-18NA/77/1009 Lance Corporal Rotimi Olamilekan claims, bin first clear di air on why dem dismiss am from di army.

For di statement why dem dismiss am, di Army say na sake of repeated acts of indiscipline and no be becos of im viral criticism of political leaders.

"Di Nigerian Army categorically state say Mr. Olamilekan no dey dismissed for "speaking di truth" or expressing opinions on political leadership. Dem dismiss am following persistent and grave acts of indiscipline, wey include violations of di Armed Forces Social Media Policy," di army tok.

Di Army explain say like all professional militaries, di Nigerian Army dey operate under a strict Code of Conduct and di Armed Forces Act.

"Unauthorised media appearances, commercialisation of military identity, partisan content creation and misuse of military uniform constitute clear breaches of established regulations. Im dismissal follow due process in line with military laws."

On di mata of salary, di Army maintain say dem dey operate a "well-structured and transparent salary system" wia rank and years of service dey determine di earnings as clearly stipulated for di Manual of Financial Administration for Armed Forces of Nigeria (Mafa).

In addition to consolidated monthly salaries, personnel dey entitled to uniform allowances plus oda allowances, wey dem dey pay periodically directly into dia accounts, di statement add.

Di Army also tok say sojas wey dey deployed for operations dey receive extra support.

On di issue of purchase of uniforms and protective equipment, di Army reject claims say na sojas dey buy dia own kits and protective gear.

"Di claim say sojas dey required to buy dia own uniforms and protective equipment, including bulletproof vests and helmets, dey entirely false.

"Di Nigerian Army dey prioritise di welfare, safety, and force protection of dia personnel. Di provision of uniforms, kits, arms, ammunition, and operational gear na institutional responsibility wey dem dey execute through established logistics systems," di Army defend.

Oga Anele for di statement also clear am say some personnel fit choose to supplement issued kits for personal comfort but stress say dose kain decisions dey voluntary.

Di statement clear am say dem no dey deploy any soja witout adequate protection.

"For di avoidance of doubt, dem no dey deploy soja to any operational theatre witout di necessary protective equipment. Claims say dem dey issue such gear only during ceremonial visits na deliberate falsehoods intended to mislead di public," dem add.

Di Army say make kontri pipo disregard di allegations, and warn say such claims fit undermine morale and national security.

Dem add say dem dey committed to di highest standards of discipline, accountability, and troop welfare.