Defence Minister Reveals Major Salary Boost for Nigerian Soldiers

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has disclosed that Nigerian soldiers are now benefiting from a major improvement in their welfare package following a recent review by the Federal Government.

Philips News reports that Musa made the revelation during an interview with News Central, where he discussed military welfare, defence funding, insecurity and ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s armed forces. The interview was featured on the NC Exclusive programme.

The Defence Minister revealed that the lowest-ranking soldiers now receive a monthly salary of ₦100,000, describing the adjustment as part of government efforts to improve the welfare and motivation of military personnel serving across the country.

Despite the increase in soldiers’ earnings, Musa admitted that the military still requires more financial support to effectively carry out its responsibilities. When asked whether the current defence budget was enough to meet the needs of the armed forces, the minister replied, “It’s not enough.”

He explained that adequate funding was necessary to provide better equipment, strengthen operations and maintain the readiness of troops involved in protecting the nation. Musa stressed that improving security requires continuous investment in personnel, logistics and modern military infrastructure.

Speaking on the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State, the Defence Minister described the incident as unfortunate, alleging that the kidnappers were attempting to use the victims as leverage to pressure security authorities into releasing some of their detained commanders.

“You know, it’s a very sad event. Unfortunately, bad things do happen. For whatever reason, 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,” Musa said.

He further claimed that the kidnappers issued threats to harm the children if security forces moved closer during rescue operations.

“They are now threatening that if we come any closer, they’re going to kill all the kids,” the minister added.

Musa, however, assured Nigerians that security agencies remained committed to rescuing victims and ensuring that criminal elements are brought to justice. He said the government would continue to pursue measures aimed at improving national security and protecting citizens.

The former Chief of Defence Staff also rejected claims that soldiers were being poorly fed, describing reports circulating online as misleading. He said troops receive adequate meals and suggested that a viral incident involving a military officer identified as Justice Crack was manipulated to create a false impression about the quality of food provided to soldiers.

“The soldier’s food was okay. There was meat; there was all this. But he told them to pull out those things and make it look as if those things were not there,” Musa said.

The Defence Minister also called for tougher punishment for criminals, arguing that stronger legal consequences would serve as a deterrent to those involved in terrorism, kidnapping and other violent crimes.

“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,” Musa said.

The Defence Minister maintained that while welfare improvements for soldiers were important, sustained funding, stronger laws and better security coordination remained critical to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.