Nigerian Soldiers Now Earn From ₦49,000 to ₦100,000 Monthly, Defence Minister Says

• Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru Abubakar says the Federal Government has increased the minimum monthly salary of Nigerian soldiers from ₦49,000 to ₦100,000.

The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has disclosed that Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of ₦100,000, following a review of military welfare by the Federal Government.

Speaking during an interview with News Central, the minister said the salary increase was part of ongoing efforts to improve the welfare of personnel serving in the armed forces.

According to him, the minimum monthly pay for soldiers has risen from ₦49,000 to ₦100,000.

“When they started, a soldier was collecting ₦49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting ₦100,000,” he said.

Despite the increase, the minister admitted that the military remains underfunded.

When asked whether the current defence budget was sufficient, he responded:

“It’s not enough.”

The minister also reiterated his support for the death penalty for kidnappers, arguing that tougher punishments are necessary to deter the growing wave of abductions across the country.

“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, Badaru said the kidnappers were attempting to pressure the military into releasing some of their commanders currently in custody.

“They are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us, and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commander,” he stated.

He added that the abductors had threatened to kill the children if security forces intensified rescue operations.

The Defence Minister also dismissed allegations of poor feeding within the military, insisting that claims circulating on social media were misleading.

Referring to a viral incident involving a military officer identified as Justice Crack, he alleged that the officer deliberately removed food items from a meal before recording a video to create the impression that soldiers were being poorly fed.

“The soldier’s food was okay. There was meat and other items, but he told them to pull out those things and make it look as if they were not there,” he said.