The Nigerian Army (NA) has pledged to investigate claims of corruption and extortion being perpetrated by the top brass of the Army made in a recent report to establish its veracity and take appropriate action, where necessary.
The Army however said that the threat of strike action in an open letter to the President by some “pseudo” aggrieved personnel is an action tantamount to mutiny in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
A statement by Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director, Army Public Relations said contrary to some online reports, the NA, as part of her effort to guard against fraudulent practices and entrench accountability and transparency in the system, had since 2018 subscribed to the Integrated Personnel Pay Roll System (IPPS) as directed by the Federal Government, and this has facilitated the flawless payment of salaries and allowances of personnel. The IPPIS, the NA insists, does not permit any personnel access to payment processes. These processes, it says, provide zero opportunity for anyone or a group of persons to manipulate personnel entitlements.
Furthermore, the NA says she and sister services, jointly operate a Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS), which applies to the Armed Forces of Nigeria in general, and that what applies to personnel of other services (Nigerian Navy and Air Force), invariably applies to personnel of the NA
While maintaining that personnel salaries and allowances are promptly and appropriately paid, without any form of short change, the Army states: “Therefore, the vague allegation of corruption and extortion clearly depicts a shallow understanding of the processes of payments of personnel salaries and allowances.
“As it stands presently, all monthly entitlements of personnel have been disbursed. The allegations contained in the anonymous letter are therefore a ridiculous attempt at disparaging the NA and causing disaffection among personnel.
General Nwachukwu says though the Army considered it weird that personnel of the NA, whose morale is considerably high under the command of the incumbent Chief of Army Staff, will make such allegations and threats, given the prioritised and prompt attention accorded soldiers’ welfare, including timely payment of their salaries and allowances by the current administration; the NA, he says, as a professional institution, would, however, investigate the claims made in the report to establish its veracity and take appropriate action, where necessary.