Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, says soldiers now receive a minimum monthly salary of ₦100,000 following a recent federal government welfare review. In interviews reported by multiple outlets, Musa states that the pay figure follows an upward adjustment from about ₦49,000 per month previously earned by personnel. He links the announcement to wider efforts to improve service members’ welfare, while also saying the military remains underfunded overall. Asked about the adequacy of the defence budget, Musa says the current funding is not enough.
Beyond the pay increase, Musa raises broader security and policy concerns. He argues for the introduction of the death penalty for kidnappers, saying current laws are too lenient and do not deter criminal abductions. Commenting on a recent abduction of pupils in Oyo State, he describes the incident as unfortunate and alleges kidnappers use the children to pressure the release of detained commanders, including threats of harm if rescue operations intensify.
He also responds to claims about poor feeding in the military, disputing some allegations as misleading and citing an incident involving a named soldier who he says misrepresented meal conditions.
