A dismissed Nigerian soldier, Lance Corporal Rotimi Olamilekan, has triggered widespread reactions after shedding light on what he describes as the difficult realities of military service in Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview, he opened up about low earnings, harsh working conditions, and the personal sacrifices soldiers are often forced to make while on duty.
According to him, his salary barely matched the risks involved.
“The last salary I earned was ₦109,000. Before that, it was ₦51,000 plus ₦20,000 allowance. The suffering was too much. Aside from the salary, nothing extra,” he said.
Beyond pay, he revealed that many soldiers allegedly provide their own essential gear — including uniforms and boots — at significant personal cost.
“We buy our uniforms ourselves. Uniform is about ₦55,000, boots ₦60,000. Even protective gear is not always available unless there’s an occasion,” he added.
He also spoke about his prolonged deployment in Maiduguri, stating that what was supposed to be a short-term posting stretched into nearly five years in a conflict zone.
His situation reportedly escalated after he publicly called on political leaders to send their own children to the frontlines. Following that, he was arrested and eventually dismissed from service.
The revelations have since sparked conversations online, with many Nigerians reacting to the claims and raising questions about the welfare of military personnel.
Do you think Nigerian soldiers are adequately supported, or is more attention needed on their welfare?
Between Soja boy and Sowore;💔💔
“As a soldier, my last Salary was 109k. It was 51k before, they just increased it to 109 last year. Our uniform alone is 55k, boot is 60k and we pay for them with our money…Same with helmet and bull£t proof vest. I spent 4 years,9months in… pic.twitter.com/nnWqBF2ZwJ
— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) April 5, 2026
