Some officers of the Nigerian Army attached to the Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC), Kontagora, Niger State, have raised concerns over what they described as poor welfare conditions and the persistent non-payment of their instructors’ allowance.
The soldiers accused their commanding officer of subjecting them to inhumane living conditions, inadequate feeding and the continuous withholding of their ₦5,000 weekly instructors’ allowance.
Speaking to journalists on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, the affected officers said they were deployed to the training centre on February 17, 2025, to train newly recruited soldiers scheduled for deployment to the insurgency-ravaged North-East.
The instructors, who are nine in number, said they are currently responsible for training hundreds of recruits expected to face Boko Haram insurgents on the frontline. Despite the critical nature of their assignment, they alleged that they are being treated unfairly by their superiors.
“We are Nigerian Army personnel attached to Kontagora. Our duty is to train new soldiers at NATRAC. These are soldiers that will be sent to the North-East to face Boko Haram,” one of the instructors said.
“It is very painful that we, who are like teachers preparing others for the war front, are being deprived of our basic rights.”
The soldiers alleged that there is no proper accommodation or feeding arrangement for them despite their prolonged posting to the training centre. They claimed they sleep in extremely poor conditions without mattresses or adequate bedding.
“There is no accommodation for us. Where we are managing to sleep, there is no mattress. We sleep on bare bunks,” another soldier alleged.
They further claimed that food is only provided when trainees are present in the camp, adding that even then, the meals are of poor quality.
“Our commander only provides food when trainees are in camp. And the food they give us is very bad. I am sure even a pig will think twice before eating it, but we have no option,” one of the instructors lamented.
Beyond the living conditions, the soldiers also accused their commander of routinely withholding their ₦5,000 instructors’ allowance, which they said is meant to be paid weekly.
According to them, the allowance is only paid when trainees are in camp and is often delayed for weeks or even months.
“The only allowance we receive is ₦5,000, tagged as instructors’ allowance. It is meant to be paid weekly, but our commander always withholds it,” one of the sources said.
“Sometimes it will take up to a month before you receive even one payment. The money is small, but not paying it when due makes it even worse.”
Another instructor added, “It is only when students are around that they give us ₦5,000 weekly. Once there are no trainees, we get nothing.”
The soldiers stressed that they were not asking for luxury, but basic welfare support and the prompt payment of allowances, especially given the sensitive and demanding nature of their assignment.
They noted that their role in preparing soldiers for counter-insurgency operations makes their welfare crucial to national security.
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SaharaReporters