Some officers of the Nigerian Army attached to the Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC), Kontagora, Niger State, have raised an alarm about their welfare.
They accused their commanding officer of subjecting them to inhumane living conditions, starvation and the persistent withholding of their ₦5,000 instructors’ allowance.
The affected soldiers, who spoke to journalists under the condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, said they have been deployed to the training centre since February 17, 2025, to train newly recruited soldiers earmarked for deployment to Nigeria’s insurgency-ravaged North-East.
According to the instructors, who are nine in number, they are currently responsible for preparing hundreds of recruits for frontline combat against Boko Haram insurgents.
However, they alleged that despite the critical nature of their assignment, 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 trainers told SaharaReporters.
The soldiers alleged that there is no proper provision for their accommodation or feeding, 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 said.
The trainers further alleged that food is only provided when trainees are in 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 them lamented.
Beyond poor living conditions, the soldiers accused the 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 present in the 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,” a source 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 trainer 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 demanding luxury, but basic welfare and 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.
