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December 6, 2022
Some aggrieved Nigerian soldiers have expressed concerned over an alleged move by the Nigerian Army authorities to stop payment of operational allowances to troops fighting insurgency.
One of the personnel in an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari said it had “been sleepless nights and teeth nagging since this plot come to the notice of the troops.”
Copied in the letter were the Vice President of Nigeria, Senate President, the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Army Staff.
The open letter by the troops, obtained by SaharaReporters on Tuesday, read, “This is to inform the above addresses and offices which we are aware that they might not be aware of the ongoing plot to deny the troops of their usual monthly operational allowances in the North-East operation thereby bringing instability in the North-Eastern part of the country. This could lead to troops’ withdrawal or negligence to further readiness and continued fight for sustainability of peace and order in the region, especially Adamawa State.
“I am surprised how N45,000 monthly allowances as operational allowances has become the problem why the Nigerian economy is bad. Could it be that the Nigerian Army authorities are doing this to enrich their pocket or mere wickedness of those in the affairs of leadership to depriving the suffering soldiers the right to their allowances?
“It has been sleepless night and teeth nagging since this plot come to the notice of the troops. I fear what comes after such wickedness to the state; I fear the reason for this plot at a time the people of Adamawa are seeing little peace.
“I am calling on the relevant authorities of the above mentioned to look into this corrupt move to self-enrichment. We all know the effort of the president towards sustainability of peace and he has never joked with our monthly allowances.
“The Chief of Army Staff was one of us in the North-East before his appointment as the COAS and understands better our pains and suffering, he has done everything to make sure we are paid monthly as when due; why would any authorities want to destroy his good will and love for the peace of the country?
“I call on the President to look into this issue and fight for us. We have been cheated long before now because we have no one to cry to each time things like this come up by our corrupt Generals in the affairs of leadership.
“We call on Adamawa State Governor and all concerned Nigerians to raise to our rights as they are about to be trampled on. We call on the Chief of Defence Staff to look into this plot and stand for our right as he has always assured us of.”