A security consultant, Mr Edwin Ugwuja, has called for a minimum salary of N500, 000 monthly for operatives of Nigeria’s armed forces and other security agencies considering that their lives are at risk in discharging their duties.
Ugwuja, a retired Assistant Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, spoke with NEWSNGR, weekend. He said officers and men of Nigeria’s armed forces earn the least salaries in Africa.
In his words, “Welfare is very important. Nigeria is among the least military organisations in Africa; not to talk about other parts of the world. If you compare the salaries of the armed forces in Nigeria, they are nothing to write home about. In the Gambia, the least paid officer, I mean somebody that just came out of the training school, a private, is about N198,000, but in Nigeria, I don’t think the same category receives up to N150, 000. In Cameroun, a private soldier receives up to N803, 000 monthly.
“In fact, the police, civil defence and other paramilitary agencies should have the same treatment. They almost do the same work. They have joint forces during operations. Joint operations also involve community vigilantes. They should also enjoy the same treatment. I suggest N500, 000 to them because their lives are at stake. Operatives of Customs, FRSC, Prisons, among others, should have the same.”
He commended the federal government for its budgetary allocations to the armed forces, but lamented lack of prudent management of resources.
He said, “The federal government is doing its best in funding the armed forces through the Ministry of Defence. The budgetary proposal for the military in 2026 is about N5.4trn. The ministry has N3.154trn. The government is doing enough.”
He called for effective utilisation of defence budgets. “One thing is fund; another is prudent disbursement of resources. When they release money for these purposes, do they use it accordingly? We know the answer.”
He said the perceived mismanagement of military funds is behind the reluctance of the youth, especially from the eastern region, to join the military. In his words, “There is poor motivation. When these young boys see the welfare of military operatives, they become demoralised. Most of the easterners are business-minded. They will ask you: how much are they paying military men to make them leave their businesses? They also want peace of mind. Military men are dying unnecessarily. It is corruption. What is due to the men and officers are not given them. Easterners feel bad.”
He suggested some measures to sanitise the system. “There should be no delays in releasing funds meant for military operations. Culprits of bloated costs of military equipment should be treated like criminals. Government bureaucracies should be avoided. Then, military pensioners and those of other security agencies are suffering. Imagine these gallant men protesting to get their pensions! Not to talk about the amount they are paid.”
