Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, announced that the Nigerian government has raised the minimum monthly pay for soldiers to N100,000, up from the previous N49,000. Despite this enhancement in personnel welfare, Musa admitted that the military continues to face funding challenges, noting that current budget allocations remain insufficient.
During an interview with News Central, the minister addressed the controversy surrounding Justice Mark Chidiebere, also known as Justice Crack. The influencer was detained in March after sharing videos that claimed soldiers were receiving inadequate food. Musa alleged that Chidiebere staged these scenes by instructing troops to remove meat and other meal components before filming to create a false impression of poor quality.
The Nigerian Army claims their investigation revealed that the influencer attempted to incite discontent among personnel in violation of established social media policies. While the soldiers involved remain in military custody, Chidiebere was transferred to civil authorities. The Federal High Court in Abuja granted him bail of N5 million in May, and legal proceedings are ongoing.
