The Nigerian Army has dismissed what it described as a false and misleading viral video alleging non-payment of allowances to troops and victimisation of a soldier in the North-east theatre.
This was disclosed in a statement by Sani Uba, the spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, a joint task force in the North-east.
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This newspaper has not seen the video reference in the statement. However, Mr Uba, a lieutenant colonel, said all legitimate allowances due to troops had been fully paid up to May.
These allowances, he said, “the Ration Cash Allowance (RCA), disbursed to units for centralised feeding of troops, Operational Allowance paid directly into individual accounts, and Habit Allowance also paid into individual accounts.”
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He clarified that the money or allowance mentioned in the video was not an operational allowance but an additional incentive paid to personnel providing security at a critical national asset in Tuba, Borno State.
According to him, the incentive was initially funded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) during oil exploration activities in the area. However, payments stopped after the corporation ended exploration operations.
Mr Uba added that the Borno State Government later assumed responsibility for the payment and was working to incorporate troops into the same payment structure already covering police personnel and volunteer forces.
“At the time the concern was raised, funds for the additional allowance were still pending,” he stated, adding that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Solomon Diwa, a brigadier general, had assured affected troops that he would engage relevant authorities to facilitate payment once funds were released.
Mr Uba also denied allegations that the soldier who raised the issue was intimidated or punished, insisting that the Nigerian Army remained committed to the welfare and fair treatment of its personnel.
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He further alleged that the viral video was produced by “a mischievous content creator” known for spreading content based on information from disgruntled individuals, describing the act as “unpatriotic” and aimed at tarnishing the image of the Armed Forces.
The Army spokesperson warned that disseminating unverified information on operational matters violates the Armed Forces’ social media policy and could undermine troop morale and national security efforts.
It added that measures were in place to address breaches of the policy while also ensuring prompt payment of legitimate entitlements through collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
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