According to reports, a Nigerian soldier detailed in Maiduguri, Borno State, who decried the inability to visit his family as a result of the high transportation cost has allegedly been detained by the army.
Recall that the Nigerian soldier had in a viral video lamented that he spent one year in the bush in Borno state and was given a pass to visit his family but could not travel due to his N50,000 salary which is barely enough to cover for his transport fare.
In the video that trended some weeks ago, the soldier revealed that he was told at the motor park that the transport fare to his town was N35, 000, meaning that to and fro the trip would cost him N70, 000.
“See wahala oo, the Nigerian Army gave me a pass as I spent one year in Maiduguri today, they gave me a pass to go and see my family. As I left the bush, I reached the park and they (transporters) told me that from here to my town is N35, 000. I calculated it and going and coming back is N70, 000 and N50, 000 is my salary that I was paid this month. I don’t have any option again; I’m going back to the bush.” The soldier stated in Pidgin English.
Media sources reported on February 6 that multiple military sources say the soldier has been locked up in the ‘guardroom’ for days over the video considered embarrassing by the army authorities.
The sources revealed; “Our colleague who complained about the transport fare more than his salary has been locked up in the guardroom,”
Recall that the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, recently noted that soldiers and military officers earn less than N50, 000 as monthly salaries while Generals and soldiers on operations get N1, 200 for feeding daily.
The Defense Chief disclosed this during an interview where he stated that Nigerian soldiers and military officers were doing well and therefore should be paid salaries that were worth the jobs to galvanize them to do more in discharging their duties.
