Ime Akpan
The Nigerian Army has denounced Dr. Sidi Mohammed for comparing Nigerian soldiers’ N1, 000 daily allowance Boko Haram fighters’ N1m ($3,000) saying he may the insurgents’ sympathiser.
It would be recalled that Mohammed who is a member of the Presidential Committee on the North-east Initiative (PCNI) said on Monday that Boko Haram insurgents pay their fighters about N1, 080, 000 ($3, 000) daily while Nigerian soldiers earn N1, 000.
Speaking at the presentation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Sub-Sahara Africa Economic Outlook Report in Abuja on Monday, April 29, 2019, Mohammed said the Boko Haram allowance is a far cry from the paltry sum earned by Nigerian soldiers added that the insurgents now operated like a cartel.
“I will give you an example. The Nigerian military for example, gets N1, 000 per day for being in the northeast, at the war front, as an allowance.
“The same northeast where, if you are a member of Boko Haram, you get $3, 000 per day as allowance.
“So it is lucrative. Sometimes, they even give you money upfront. So, we must do something about the youths from where they are recruiting.”
But in its reaction, Army spokesman, Col. Sagir Musa said in a statement that Mohammed’s claim is not only false but highly irresponsible.
He said the Army had, over time, alerted the world that the insurgents were being aided and abetted by sympathisers such as Dr. Sidi Ali Mohammed adding that he (Mohammed) might know more about Boko Haram than what he may want the public to know.
“The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a publication…to a false claim credited to one Doctor Sidi Ali Mohammed, a member of the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative.
“In it, he alleged that the criminal terrorist group members earn as much as $3,000 daily, as against the Nigerian soldier who is paid N1, 000 only. This is not true; pure lie and highly irresponsible comment coming from a supposedly knowledgeable person of his calibre.
“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 terrorists 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 terrorists’ 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 youth to believe the lies of Boko Haram terrorists as being peddled by him.
“Therefore, we are calling on all Nigerians to discountenance the statement credited to Doctor Sidi Ali Mohammed while we take necessary steps to formally report him to the appropriate authorities to further substantiate these unfounded allegations.
“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,” said Musa.
