Nigerian Army personnel stationed at Camp 5 in the Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have decried their poor and alarming living conditions.
According to sources, the soldiers, drawn from 181 Amphibious Battalion Agbor, 90 Amphibious Battalion Koko, and Sector 1 Warri under Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), claim they are facing severe hardships.
“We are suffering here. No good food, no medical care, and no flying boat to rush a soldier in case of an emergency,” a soldier told SaharaReporters. “We’ve been left to fend for ourselves, and it’s like being in a punishment ground.”
The soldiers alleged that the commanding officers rotate feeding duties monthly, but none provide satisfactory meals.
“We only eat twice a day instead of three times. Sometimes, we go without food for over a week. It’s unbearable,” another soldier lamented.
Despite the government’s increase in feeding allowance to ₦3,000 per day (₦90,000 monthly), soldiers told SaharaReporters that they are not benefitting due to alleged corruption among commanding officers and generals.
“We’ve been told that the government has increased our feeding allowance, but we don’t see it. Our commanders are making money from our heads,” a soldier alleged.
The soldiers also claim they are being exploited financially by their commanders. “We’re deployed to oil companies that pay ₦300,000 to ₦400,000 per soldier per month, but we only receive ₦30,000. And even that is a problem to get,” a soldier said.
Lamenting the soldier said, “as we speak they are owing us three months in arrears which we don’t know whether it will be paid again.”
The soldiers, however, called for the removal of the 63 Brigade Commander/Sector 1 Commander Asaba, alleging that he failed to oversee his commanding officers discharge their duties creditably.
“We want Gen. CG Musa and Lt. Gen. OO Oluyede to take action. We can’t take this anymore,” a soldier stated.
The soldiers also demand an increase in deployment allowance from ₦30,000 to the actual amount paid by companies.
“We’re not asking for charity; we just want what’s rightfully ours,” a soldier said.
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