A former spokesperson of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), retired Group Captain Sadeeq Shehu, has expressed concern over the welfare of military personnel, saying members of the Nigerian Armed Forces are not adequately paid.
Shehu made the remarks on Monday during an appearance on The Morning Show on Arise Television.
According to him, soldiers in many countries receive regular salary reviews, often on an annual basis, to ensure their earnings keep pace with inflation and the increasing cost of living.
He suggested that Nigeria should adopt a similar approach to improve the welfare of its military personnel, stressing that regular adjustments to salaries would better reflect prevailing economic realities and boost the morale of troops.
Shehu also made a case for the provision of other welfare packages to ensure that soldiers are adequately motivated.
“Nigerian soldiers are underpaid. N100,000 is not enough. When you talk about motivation for military personnel, the first thing that comes to people’s mind is salary and allowances. But that is only one aspect.
“Yes, a soldier needs to be paid the appropriate amount based on the risk that he’s taking for his life.
“But it’s not only about money. Even the numbers we are talking about is part of motivation because to be honest with you, our soldiers are doing great work.
“In advanced military business, there is no way you can put a soldier in the front line for more than 10 or 12 months. He must come back and rest.
“We have our soldiers fighting. I have met a soldier who served for four years unbroken. It is not done. So when you have more soldiers, that also adds motivation because I know I will go and fight in the North-East or against bandits for 12 months. Then I will come back and be with my family. That is motivation.
“I also know that if I am wounded in battle, there is a helicopter for medical evacuation that can carry me to the best medical facility available, and I will be treated without me paying a dime. It’s motivation.
“There is also the need to know that if I need a fragmented jacket to protect me, I do not have to buy it. There is motivation to know that I don’t have to use my salary to buy any piece of equipment, anything or uniform that I’m going to use for the work. That is motivation,” he said.
