A dismissed Nigerian soldier, Rotimi Olamilekan, popularly known as Soja Boi, has challenged the Nigerian Army to make its payroll public, as he presented bank transaction alerts to support his claims about soldiers’ earnings and welfare.
Olamilekan, a former lance corporal, made the fresh allegations in a video released on Tuesday, shortly after the Army dismissed his earlier assertions as false and misleading.
He, however, maintained that his intention was not to tarnish the image of the military but to present what he described as verifiable facts.
“I am not out to discredit the Army. I am only stating what I know and backing it with evidence,” he said.
In the video, the ex-soldier displayed three transaction alerts, which he claimed reflected payments received during his time in service.
One of the alerts, dated February 2, 2026, showed a credit of N112,061.59, which he identified as his monthly salary. Another, dated February 4, 2026, indicated a N20,000 payment, which he described as a “grumbling allowance,” while a third alert dated November 4, 2025, showed a N45,000 credit, said to be an operational allowance.
According to him, the operational allowance was only paid to personnel deployed to conflict zones, such as Maiduguri, while a separate security allowance of N6,000 also existed.
He explained that soldiers not deployed for operations were limited to their salaries and basic allowances.
“If you are not on operation, you won’t receive the operational allowance. Those on barracks duty only get their salary and the basic allowance,” he stated.
Olamilekan also reiterated his earlier claim that soldiers often purchase personal protective gear, including helmets and fragmentation jackets, with their own funds.
He urged Nigerians with relatives in the military to verify his claims independently, insisting that many serving personnel were unable to speak out.
He further dared the Army to publicly disclose its payroll structure.
“If my claims are false, let them release the payroll and show Nigerians what soldiers are truly paid,” he said.
Efforts to independently verify the authenticity of the receipts were unsuccessful, as the transaction alerts do not carry official payroll documentation or clear institutional identifiers beyond limited narration details.
Reacting earlier, the Nigerian Army, in a statement by its Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Appolonia Anaele, dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
The Army maintained that all personnel are adequately equipped through established logistics systems and that no soldier is deployed without necessary protective gear.
It acknowledged that some personnel may choose to acquire additional kits voluntarily but insisted that such decisions were not mandatory.
On remuneration, the Army stated that soldiers receive consolidated monthly salaries, alongside allowances and mission-specific entitlements paid directly into their accounts.
Olamilekan first came into the spotlight in February 2026 after a viral video in which he urged political officeholders to enlist their children in the military.
He was subsequently arrested, detained, and later dismissed from service.
According to the Army, his dismissal was based on repeated acts of indiscipline, including violations of military social media regulations and unauthorised public engagements, rather than the content of his comments.
