The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has said Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of N100,000 following a recent review of their welfare by the Federal Government.
Musa disclosed this during an interview on News Central on Wednesday, ahead of its broadcast on the NC Exclusive programme on Friday.
The former Chief of Defence Staff also stated that the military remained underfunded despite the improvement in personnel welfare.
Responding to a question on whether the current defence budget was adequate, the minister replied, “It’s not enough.”
He, however, said the Federal Government had significantly improved soldiers’ salaries.
“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000,” he said.
The minister also advocated the introduction of the death penalty for kidnappers, saying stiffer punishment was needed to curb the growing wave of abductions across the country.
