By Ahmed Yusuf, Abuja
National News – The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has disclosed that the Federal Government has increased the minimum monthly salary of Nigerian soldiers to N100,000 as part of ongoing efforts to improve the welfare of military personnel.
Speaking during an interview on News Central ahead of Friday’s edition of the NC Exclusive programme, the minister said the salary review reflects the government’s commitment to boosting the morale of troops despite funding challenges facing the armed forces.
According to him, the defence sector remains underfunded, admitting that the current budget allocation is inadequate to meet the military’s growing operational demands.
“It’s not enough,” the minister said when asked if the defence budget was sufficient, adding that the government had nevertheless made significant improvements in soldiers’ welfare.
“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000,” he stated.
The minister also called for tougher measures against kidnappers, advocating the death penalty as a deterrent to the rising 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 pupils in Oyo State, the minister described the incident as unfortunate, alleging that the kidnappers were attempting to pressure security agencies into releasing some of their detained commanders.
According to him, the abductors threatened to kill the children if troops intensified rescue operations.
The minister also dismissed claims that soldiers were poorly fed, insisting that reports circulating on social media were misleading. He alleged that a military officer identified as Justice Crack deliberately removed food items from a serving tray to create a false impression about the quality of meals provided to troops.
He maintained that the Federal Government remains committed to improving the welfare of military personnel while strengthening security operations across the country.
