Soldiers’ minimum salary rises to N100,000 — Defence minister

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, says the Federal Government has increased the minimum monthly salary of Nigerian soldiers from N49,000 to N100,000 as part of efforts to improve their welfare.

Musa disclosed this during an interview with News Central aired ahead of the station’s NC Exclusive programme.

Despite the salary increase, the minister said funding for the military remained inadequate to meet the country’s security demands.

Asked whether the current defence budget was sufficient, he responded, “It’s not enough.”

He said the government had nevertheless prioritised improving the welfare of military personnel.

“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000,” Musa said.

The minister also called for tougher sanctions against kidnappers, advocating the introduction of the death penalty to deter the growing wave of abductions across the country.

According to him, stronger punishment would discourage criminal activities.

“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.

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

He claimed the abductors had threatened to kill the children if security forces launched a rescue operation.

The minister also dismissed allegations that soldiers were poorly fed, describing claims circulating on social media as misleading.

He alleged that a military officer identified as Justice Crack deliberately removed food items from a meal before recording a video to create the impression that troops were being served inadequate rations.

According to Musa, the meals provided to soldiers included meat and other food items that were intentionally excluded from the footage.