‘Release your payroll if I’m lying’, Dismissed soldier challenges Army to publish payroll over welfare claims
A former Nigerian soldier, Rotimi Olamilekan, popularly known as Soja Boi, has called on the Nigerian Army to make its payroll public as the dispute over his claims on soldiers’ welfare and pay continues.
Olamilekan, a dismissed lance corporal, issued the challenge in a video shared on Tuesday, shortly after the Army rejected his earlier allegations as false and misleading.
In the video, he presented bank transaction alerts which he said showed his earnings during his time in service.
He stated that his monthly salary was N112,061.59, alongside a N20,000 “grumbling allowance,” while an operational allowance of N45,000 was only paid to personnel deployed to active zones such as Maiduguri. He also mentioned a N6,000 security allowance.
According to him, soldiers not engaged in operations receive only their basic salary and the N20,000 allowance, noting that operational payments are not permanent benefits.
He further alleged that some personnel buy their own protective equipment, including helmets and fragmentation jackets.
“I have been seeing some trends online about the interview I granted, and I noticed that the Nigerian Army has countered it, saying it is false. It is not as if I am trying to damage the image of the Nigerian Army or make it look bad. No. I am simply stating the facts, and I will back them up with evidence.
“This receipt is my salary. The second one is the N20,000 I mentioned. There is another one, the operational allowance. If you are in Maiduguri or deployed there, that is when you receive it. If you are not on operation, you will not be paid that allowance. The one you can see above is N45,000. There is also another one, a cigarette allowance, which is N6,000. Both the operational and cigarette allowances are only paid when you are on operation.
“So, if they say I am lying about the issue of uniforms, if you have a friend or relative in the Army, call them and ask whether I am telling the truth.”
He maintained that his intention was not to tarnish the Army’s image but to present what he described as verifiable facts, urging Nigerians to confirm his claims through serving personnel.
The claims could not be independently verified.
Earlier, the Nigerian Army had dismissed his allegations, insisting that uniforms, equipment and protective gear are provided to all personnel through established systems, and that no soldier is deployed without adequate protection.
The Army also stated that its personnel receive structured salaries along with various allowances, adding that Olamilekan was dismissed for repeated acts of indiscipline, including breaches of the Armed Forces’ social media policy and unauthorised media engagements, not because of his statements.