Nigerian Troops Deserve Minimum N250,000 Monthly Salary — Enenche

Former Director of Defence Information, Major General John Enenche (retd.) has urged the Federal Government to significantly improve the welfare and remuneration of Nigerian soldiers, saying the country’s military personnel deserve better financial support for the sacrifices they make in defending the nation.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Saturday, the retired senior military officer said that no Nigerian soldier should earn less than N250,000 monthly, adding that the figure is a reasonable minimum given the economic realities in the country and the rising cost of living.

Enenche said the soldiers are not like the ordinary public servants who are doing their official duties, rather the army men are always on national service whether they are on active service or have retired from duty.

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He said the nature of the military job was demanding and personnel had to be available round the clock unlike workers who operated within set working hours. “Soldiers face specific risks, long absences from their families, and often work in conditions that endanger their lives, in order to preserve the country’s territorial integrity and internal security,” he said.

“I think a Nigerian soldier at the base should not be paid less than ₦250,000 monthly,” Enenche said in the interview.

He said the proposed salary would be a modest benchmark and not an excessive demand in view of the sharp increase in inflation and rising cost of essential goods and services in Nigeria.

The retired general also emphasized that military service is a commitment for life. Soldiers, he said, retain a sense of duty even after retirement and can be called upon to serve the nation again whenever their expertise is needed.

Enenche said, “Now that I am retired, no soldier is ever off duty.

To drive home his point, he said that while he is no longer in active service, if a senior military officer calls him with a task, he would respond without hesitation.

“Even now if a senior officer calls me and says, ‘General Enenche, sir, we want you to…,’ “I’d do it even in retirement,” he said.

Enenche’s comments come at a time when there are ongoing discussions on the need to improve the welfare, salaries, allowances, and working conditions of members of the Nigerian Armed Forces. Security analysts and stakeholders have continued to argue that improved welfare packages would not only boost the morale of military personnel but would also improve operational effectiveness in the fight against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats facing the country.