Commanders didn’t delay troops’ allowance – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters has clarified that the delay in the payment of Ration Cash Allowance to soldiers deployed in various operations acr...

The Defence Headquarters has clarified that the delay in the payment of Ration Cash Allowance to soldiers deployed in various operations across the country is not the fault of field commanders or the military high command.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Magnus Kangye, made this known on Thursday while addressing journalists during a press briefing at the DHQ in Abuja.

Kangye said any delay experienced by troops in receiving their allowances could only have occurred within the financial system, stressing that no commander would deliberately withhold funds meant for personnel under their supervision.

The clarification came following complaints from soldiers deployed in DHQ-led operations—particularly Operation Fasan Yamma in the North-West and Operation Whirl Stroke in the North-Central—who alleged that they had not received their RCA since August 2025.

Kangye said,“The issue of soldiers’ welfare has been a recurring one, and we have always explained that no field commander will be given money to feed his troops or pay their allowances and then refuse to do so.”

“If that happens, it means soldiers would be fighting on empty stomachs, and their morale would be dampened. So, if a delay occurs, it can only be from the system, not the commanders.”

He acknowledged that the payment process could occasionally experience technical or transaction-related hitches but assured that the allowances would eventually be paid.

“Yes, there may be some delay in some instances, but definitely, that RCA will be paid. A delay of a day or two could occur because of certain transaction issues. No system is perfect,” he added.

To illustrate, Kangye compared the situation to a domestic scenario in which a money transfer does not immediately reflect in the recipient’s account.

“Even you, at the end of the month, may send money to your family, but your wife says she hasn’t received it. Will you not tell her to wait because there might be an issue with the bank? It’s the same thing here,” he said.

The defence spokesman maintained that such delays should not be misinterpreted as deliberate attempts to deny troops their entitlements or undermine their welfare.

The Ration Cash Allowance is meant to support soldiers’ feeding and welfare while on active field operations.

Over the years, concerns over delayed or unpaid allowances have periodically surfaced within the armed forces.

Meanwhile, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke have neutralised a suspected criminal and arrested another in separate operations conducted within their areas of responsibility in Benue and Nasarawa states.

According to a statement by the acting Media Information Officer, Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, and made available to journalists on Thursday in Makurdi, the operations took place on Wednesday in Ayilamo, Tombo Council Ward (Logo LGA, Benue State), and Maraba Udege Community (Nasarawa LGA, Nasarawa State).

“Troops conducted a deliberate ambush operation on 15 October 2025 in Ayilamo, within Tombo Council Ward of Logo Local Government Area, Benue State.

They made contact with criminal elements, where one armed suspect was neutralised while others fled with gunshot wounds,” Zubairu stated.

In a separate operation, troops of Sub-Sector 2 deployed in Maraba Udege responded to a distress call about a man reportedly carrying a pistol in Maraba Market.

“Upon arrival at the scene, the troops apprehended the suspect, identified as Mr. Ramanu Elizabeth,” Zubairu said.

Items recovered included one AK-47 rifle, one AK-47 magazine, 14 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and a locally fabricated pistol.

Zubairu added that the suspect was currently in military custody for further investigation, while troops continue to dominate the area through patrols to bolster public confidence.

He noted that the Force Commander, OPWS, Maj. Gen. Moses Gara, had commended the troops for their professionalism and urged them to sustain the tempo of operations to ensure safety and stability across affected communities.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).