President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a new salary package for members of the Nigerian Armed Forces has drawn mixed reactions from opposition parties.
While some commended the move as a long-overdue investment in national security, others questioned the President’s motives, describing the timing as politically convenient.
The parties gave their reactions in separate exclusive interviews with The PUNCH in Abuja on Tuesday.
While the Social Democratic Party and the New Nigeria People’s Party welcomed the pay increase as a necessary step towards improving troop welfare and strengthening the country’s security architecture, the Labour Party and the Obidient Movement expressed reservations, arguing that the decision should be viewed against the backdrop of the administration’s political record.
The divergent reactions followed Tuesday’s announcement by the Presidency that Tinubu had approved salary increases of between 30 and 80 per cent for approximately 250,000 military personnel.
According to the Presidency, the new pay package will take effect from September 1, 2026, with the highest percentage increases going to junior officers and rank-and-file personnel who have borne the brunt of counter-insurgency, anti-banditry and anti-kidnapping operations across the country.
The Presidency announced that the new remuneration package would increase annual personnel costs for the Armed Forces from N660bn to N924bn, representing an additional N264bn.
Under the new structure, officers above the rank of colonel, including brigadier generals, major generals, lieutenant generals and generals, will receive a 30 per cent salary increase.
Personnel from colonel to warrant officer will receive a 50 per cent increase, while soldiers from private to staff sergeant will benefit from an 80 per cent increase.
Announcing the package, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the graduated salary adjustment was deliberately designed to favour junior personnel.
Reacting to the development, the National Publicity Secretary of the SDP, Rufus Aiyenigba, said the party would not politicise policies aimed at strengthening national security, stressing that what mattered most was the outcome of such interventions.
He said, “National security takes preeminence over politics, and every government direction, decision or policy towards enhancing national security is a welcome development. So, we are not a party that reads negative meanings to every action.
“The important thing is the expected outcome. We must be able to have measurable deliverables from every government policy, action or programme. So, for us in the party, we have been canvassing and advocating for the right investment to enhance our security architecture.
“We do not read political meanings to security interventions or actions. We are not troubled.
“This is why we are assuring Nigerians that an SDP government will prioritise security and welfare personnel right from day one, and we will make the right investment. So, it is a welcome development if it is well-intentioned.”
Similarly, the National Chairman of the NNPP, Major Agbo, dismissed suggestions that the timing of the salary increase should be viewed through a political lens, arguing that the welfare of security personnel should transcend partisan considerations.
“The problem we have as a country is that whenever a decision is taken, people always look for what to add as the reason why such a decision is taken.
“We are the ones crying that our security people are poorly remunerated, and that is part of the reason why the commitment and dedication to deal with this security frontally has been missing.
“So, if somebody eventually now says, let them be paid more, why would anybody be talking about the timing? That’s the problem we have in this country.
“It does not matter what time a decision is taken. What is important is that the decision is in the interest of the development of the country. If the answer is yes, then whoever wants to say anything can go ahead and say so.
“We do politics with everything in this country, and that’s why we are unable to make the progress that we should be making.
“So, for us as a party, it is kudos to the President. It does not matter whether it is coming late or not.
“The most important thing is that at least our security men will now be more motivated to do what they should do to ensure that the country is safe.”
The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, however, said the President’s motives would inevitably come under scrutiny because of what he described as the administration’s past conduct.
“Are they taking this decision now because the wife of one of the servicemen has been shouting on social media and complaining that Tinubu has neglected them? So, we don’t really know. His intention is not clear because of his history and record.
“His motive and utterances that he is not going to be fair to the opposition are well known. He said it very clearly to everybody that wished to know. So, all of this will become a suspicion as regards the character of the person. So, people are now apprehensive about the man.
“So, whatever he does is under very serious scrutiny and suspicion.
“As far as we are concerned, we only want the life of our servicemen to be comfortable in their duties because they’ve sacrificed a lot.
“At the same time, we do not want them to be induced against the interests of the general public. These are very critical issues that need to be thought about,” he stated.
The National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Ken Asogwa, also welcomed the improvement in troop welfare but suggested the decision was politically motivated.
He said, “Well, it looks like it’s a political move done to score some political points.
“Be that as it may, as long as it is something that is done to attend to the welfare of our servicemen, whether it is for political purposes or not, the most important thing is that it is long overdue.
“The encouragement of our servicemen is long overdue. It is so disheartening that you put soldiers in the line of fire. These are people who left their families, especially children in school. They need to pay school fees, fend for themselves and feed their families.
“You send them to Sambisa Forest to spend six months. Yet, they are poorly paid. Some earn as low as N100,000. You recruit, train and hand them AK-47 to go and fight insurgents and protect the integrity of Nigeria.
“It’s so bad that we run a system where when these people get killed or get wounded in the process, the system does not even support the families they are leaving behind.
“So it is a welcome development as far as I’m concerned. Even when we all know that Mr President is doing it to score some political points.
“As long as it is to the extent that it benefits the Nigerian servicemen who are putting their lives on the line to protect the citizens, I don’t care whether Mr President is doing this to score some points. At this point, I think it’s a welcome development.”
Kalu, Namdas hail pay rise
The senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, described the move as a timely intervention that underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare of troops battling insecurity across the country.
In a statement posted on his official social media handle on Wednesday, Kalu said the decision reflected the administration’s recognition that the welfare of members of the Armed Forces should remain a national priority.
The former Abia State governor noted that military personnel continued to make enormous sacrifices in defending the country’s territorial integrity, protecting lives and combating terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats in different parts of the country.
He said, “The decision by President Bola Tinubu to approve a salary increase for members of the Nigerian Armed Forces deserves commendation. It reflects an understanding that the welfare of those who defend our nation should remain a priority.”
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission urged members of the Armed Forces and other security agencies to reciprocate the government’s gesture by remaining committed to professionalism, fairness and respect for the rights of citizens.
He also reaffirmed his support for policies aimed at improving the welfare, capacity and operational readiness of the nation’s security personnel, while praying for sustained peace, stability and progress in the country.
The Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency, Abdulrazak Namdas, described the decision as a significant boost to troop morale and national security.
Namdas, who chaired the House of Representatives Committee on Army during the 9th National Assembly, also praised the President’s approval for the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to strengthen the country’s security architecture.
He said the measures demonstrated the administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of military personnel while enhancing the operational capacity of the Armed Forces to tackle the nation’s security challenges.
According to him, the creation of four additional Army divisions would improve military presence in Nigeria’s border communities, many of which have long remained vulnerable to cross-border crimes and other security threats.
“The expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions is a strategic investment in the nation’s security.
“It will significantly improve military coverage across more than 3,000 border communities in 105 local government areas spanning 21 states, many of which currently have little or no military presence,” Namdas said.
He described the enhanced remuneration package as a well-deserved recognition of the sacrifices made daily by officers and soldiers in the defence of the country’s territorial integrity.
(Punch)
