A dismissed Nigerian soldier, Rotimi Olamilekan, popularly known as Soja Boi, has reignited controversy over the welfare of military personnel, challenging the Nigerian Army to make its payroll public while presenting bank transaction alerts he claims reflect the true earnings of soldiers.
Olamilekan, a former lance corporal with service number 18NA/77/1009, made the claims in a video circulated on Tuesday, shortly after the Army dismissed his earlier allegations as “false and misleading.”
In the footage, the ex-soldier displayed three bank alerts purportedly received during his service, insisting they substantiate his position that soldiers earn modest wages and often bear the cost of their own protective equipment.
One of the alerts, dated February 2, 2026, showed a credit of N112,061.59, which he described as his monthly salary.
Another, dated February 4, 2026, reflected a N20,000 payment, which he identified as a “grumbling allowance,” while a third alert dated November 4, 2025, indicated a N45,000 operational allowance allegedly paid to personnel deployed to conflict zones such as Maiduguri.
He further claimed that soldiers receive a N6,000 security allowance and noted that operational allowances are not regular payments.
“If you are not in operation, they don’t pay you that one. If you go on operation, they will pay you,” he said.
Olamilekan added that personnel assigned to barracks duties earn significantly less.
“If you are doing barracks duty, you are only entitled to your salary and that N20,000,” he stated.
The dismissed soldier also reiterated his earlier claim that troops procure essential protective gear, including helmets and fragmentation jackets, with personal funds.
“Helmet, you go buy. Fragmentation jacket, you go buy them,” he alleged, urging Nigerians with relatives in the military to verify his assertions.
“I know many people who want to say these things but don’t know how. Call your brother or sister and ask if I am lying,” he added.
He challenged the Army to publicly disclose its payroll structure.
“If they say I am lying, they should bring out their payroll. How much are they paying soldiers?” he queried.
However, PLATFORM TIMES could not independently verify the authenticity of the receipts.
While one of the alerts bore a narration referencing “NIC-ARMY AC,” the others did not explicitly indicate the Nigerian Army or any government institution as the source of payment.
The alerts also lacked official payroll documentation or letterhead.
The Nigerian Army, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Appolonia Anaele, dismissed Olamilekan’s claims as baseless.
The Army maintained that uniforms, kits, arms, and protective gear are provided to personnel through established logistics channels, stressing that no soldier is deployed without adequate equipment.
It acknowledged that some personnel may choose to supplement issued kits but described such actions as voluntary.
On remuneration, the Army stated that soldiers receive consolidated monthly salaries alongside uniform allowances, operational allowances, and other mission-specific entitlements paid directly into their accounts.
Olamilekan first gained public attention in February 2026 after a viral video in which he urged political office holders to enlist their children in the military.
He was subsequently arrested, detained, and later dismissed from service. The Army attributed his dismissal to repeated acts of indiscipline, including breaches of the Armed Forces Social Media Policy and unauthorised media engagements, insisting the decision was unrelated to his public comments.
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