Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Army has described the rumour making the rounds on the social media that the Boko Haram terrorists were better paid than Nigerian soldiers as very shameful.
The army said it was most shameful that the claims were coming from a member of the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative, Dr Sidi, Ali Mohammed.
Dr Mohammed had in lecture he presented, disclosed the that terrorists got a daily pay of $3,000 as against Nigerian Army soldiers who earn N1,000 daily.
The army said Dr, Mohammed “must have been associated with the terrorist group beyond what he may want the public to know for having the knowledge of how much a terrorist earns per day to commit atrocities against fellow Nigerians and other innocent people including women and children.”
Acting director Army Public Relations, Colonel Saghir Musa, who made this known in a statement, described Mohammed’s claims as a deliberate attempt not just to demoralise the patriotic soldiers in the war front but also a way of luring the gullible Nigerian youths to join the terrorists.
Musa said the army would “take the necessary steps to formally report him to the appropriate authorities to further substantiate these unfounded allegations.”
He said: “It is also criminal and preposterous to compare the gallant soldiers of our Armed Forces with the ragtag terrorists’ criminal gang. Indeed, there is no such basis at all between the outlawed criminal terrorist who commit crime against humanity and our highly-patriotic, courageous and brave soldiers whose sacrifice cannot be quantified.
“Over time, we have been alerting the world that the menace of Boko Haram terrorism is being aided and abetted by sympathisers’ such as Dr Sidi, Ali Mohammed. He must have been associated with the terrorist group beyond what he may want the public to know for having the knowledge of how much a terrorist earns per day to commit atrocities against fellow Nigerians and other innocent people including women and children.
“His statement could be part of the deliberate attempt to demoralise the patriotic soldiers serving their fatherland so that the terrorists will take advantage of it. It is also a way of swaying the gullible youths to believe the lies of Boko Haram terrorists as being peddled by him.
“We would like to assure the public that the Nigerian Army would remain resolute and focused in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in our great nation and no amount of distraction or terrorists’ propaganda will dissuade it.”