Nigerians were really treated to a shocker hours ago when a soldier came out in a video, lamenting that after being given the permission to go visit his family after months in the bush, fighting insecurity, that his salary couldn’t afford his transportation to go see his family.
He revealed that the cost of going to see his family, to and fro, is 70 thousand Naira, while his monthly is 50 thousand Naira. Sadly, he made a U-turn, back to the bush because he couldn’t afford the transportation money to go visit his family. This is one of the most embarrassing, heartbreaking and traumatic experience thing any human being can ever experience.
Sadly, many Nigerians have been reacting to the issue, with 95% of them visibly angry with the government. But be it known to you that the salary in question is a fact, because I have consulted several credible media platforms and found out that what the soldier said is nothing but the truth. Even, some times in 2023, Sahara Reporters reported about the story, were the Chief of Defence Staff revealed that soldiers actually earn even below 50 thousand Naira as monthly salaries. God forbid!
This is not something that should be swept under the carpet in our usual lifestyle, because the implications are gravy. First of all, looking at the current economic situation in the country, how can a family man like this soldier cope? And meanwhile he is expected to confront bandits, terrorists, kidnappers, etc? Isn’t this the funniest thing you would have come across in recent times? So with this kind of condition facing this man and thousands of other soldiers of his level or lower in ranks, do you expect them to discharge their official duties diligently? Without compromising at whatever point and for whatever reason?
Little wonder we have unending cases of insecurity in the presence of thousands of security agents, because they were actually pushed to the wall, and you can’t expect them to turn into angels under such situation/circumference. These are human being for Christ sake, they have their breaking point just like every other human being, as such, they are very likely to betray the system because the have little or no further option.
In other words, many of them are likely to succumb to the offers of criminals, bandits, terrorists, kidnappers, etc, just for them to earn what will be enough to take care of their bills, family needs, etc. This goes a long way to expose the reason why the security situation in the country seem to be getting worse each day regardless of the so called efforts of the insincere government we have in this part of the world.
Even for those who won’t compromise in the line of duty, what then is the motivation for them to even throw in their lives for the sake of the nation? And you still expect that the security situation across the country will get better, under this condition? You must be having a day dream inspired by acute malaria. No wonder we see our security agents indulge in all manner of activities on the street just to extort money from the citizens!
Well, I do not even have much to say, a word is enough for the wise!
Written by our guest writer, Okwor Maxwell Onyeka (Writer, filmmaker, Author of several books).
(Photo credit: Google Photos)