“₦100k Salary for Soldiers, ₦5k Daily Allowance an Insult – Ndume Backs Service Chiefs, Urges Tinubu to Boost Troops’ Welfare”

Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has thrown his weight behind Nigeria’s Service Chiefs, urging President Bola Tinubu to ignore calls for their dismissal and instead focus on improving the welfare of frontline soldiers battling insurgency and insecurity across the country.

In a report by The Vanguard on Thursday, September 11, 2025, Ndume argued that the Service Chiefs possess the expertise, training, and operational experience required to confront Nigeria’s security challenges. He dismissed allegations of incompetence leveled against them by the Northern Ethnic National Forum, led by Dominic Alancha, describing the claims as “baseless, politically motivated, and uncharitable.”

Instead of a leadership overhaul, Ndume proposed what he termed the “TEAM strategy” — Training, Equipment, Ammunition, and Motivation — a model he believes would empower the Armed Forces to effectively combat terrorism, banditry, and insurgency.

‘Our Soldiers Deserve Better’

Expressing deep concern over the conditions of Nigerian troops, Ndume lamented that a private soldier currently earns about ₦100,000 per month with a meagre ₦5,000 daily allowance, a package he branded as “grossly inadequate” and demoralizing.

> “The salary of a private soldier in Nigeria is about ₦100,000 per month, and the daily allowance of ₦5,000 is unconscionable,” Ndume stated in Abuja.
“Those clamoring for the dismissal of the present Service Chiefs are acting with hidden intentions that do not favor this administration or Nigerians at large. What the military needs is Training, Equipment, Ammunition, and Motivation—not baseless criticisms.”

He warned that the poor welfare of soldiers could sap morale in the trenches and urged the Tinubu administration to urgently review compensation, housing, and healthcare packages for military personnel.

Backing Tinubu’s Security Leadership

Ndume further praised President Tinubu’s choice of Service Chiefs, highlighting the administration’s commitment to religious and ethnic inclusivity in the appointments — a clear departure, he said, from the approach of the previous government.

The senator stressed that what the military requires is not a change of leadership, but the political will and financial commitment to provide adequate resources to those risking their lives daily to defend the nation.

> “It is uncharitable for any group to accuse the Service Chiefs of professional incompetence. All of them have requisite training and experience in theatre operations. What they need is adequate support from Nigerians and the government.”

As debates intensify over Nigeria’s security failures, Ndume’s call underscores a growing national question: Should the fight against terrorism focus on changing generals—or on motivating and equipping the soldiers holding the frontlines?