Rations of rage: Viral video shames top brass over troop neglect

A powerful video released on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, June 22, 2025, has sparked national debate and international concern, after a Nigerian soldier directly addressed the Minister of Defence, Lt. Col. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, over the deteriorating conditions faced by frontline troops in Maiduguri.

In the emotionally charged footage, the soldier gives viewers a rare glimpse into the daily struggles endured by hundreds of soldiers deployed in conflict zones.

Speaking candidly, he displays the meagre rations allegedly provided to troops – four pieces of maize for an entire month per soldier, and only one piece of meat each week, totaling four per soldier for the month.

“Even the dogs cannot feed on such, let alone the soldiers at the top,” the soldier says, his voice a mix of frustration and defiance.

The video has since gone viral, resonating with both civilians and those in uniform across the country, and prompting swift attention from the highest levels of government.

A Nation shocked: grievances go public

The soldier’s accusations go far beyond poor rations.

He alleges widespread corruption, claiming that ₦20 million naira allocated monthly for the welfare of soldiers in Maiduguri is being misappropriated by high-ranking officers.

“Heartless commander, heartless and criminal commander….a rebellion, you people are rebellions to soldiers…” he says in one of the most damning parts of the video.

He criticizes the silence of key institutions—the Federal Government, Senate, House of Representatives, EFCC, and even members of the legal profession who, according to him, are too fearful of military leadership to act.

Despite the risks of speaking out in such a public way, the soldier boldly declares that he is unafraid of retaliation from military authorities.

“We go make sure say one day, this Nigeria bloody for civilians and una…” he warns, suggesting that a reckoning could be on the horizon if the systemic abuse and neglect continue.

A Call to the Public: ‘Soldiers Dey Bleed’

In his appeal, the soldier calls on the Nigerian people to stand with the troops, stressing that the crisis goes beyond just military quarters.

“Soldiers…they are bleeding in the heart…they are many in Maiduguri…everyday in Maiduguri, soldier dey die..every blessed day..no day that soldier no dey die in Maiduguri.

“Still yet them no dey eat their allowance…dem no dey chop their feeding allowance.

“Na officers dey chop the money,” he says, detailing a grim reality where combat deaths and financial starvation go hand-in-hand.

His allegations paint a picture of a military machine where field operations have morphed into profit schemes for commanders.

He claims that Maiduguri, a city at the heart of Nigeria’s counterinsurgency battle, has effectively become a business hub for corrupt senior officers, rather than a place of sacrifice and service.

Government Responds: Defence Minister Promises Action

Following the public outcry generated by the video, Nigeria’s Minister for Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, responded by promising immediate intervention.

He stated that the concerns raised in the video would be investigated without delay.

The minister’s response marks a rare moment of acknowledgment from official circles, offering a glimmer of hope for reform.

However, many Nigerians, particularly those connected to the military, are watching closely to see if this investigation leads to meaningful change or becomes yet another shelved inquiry.

Global Relevance, National Reckoning

The soldier’s video is more than a viral sensation.

It is a striking example of how digital platforms are amplifying frontline voices that were once muted by hierarchy and fear.

It also speaks to a universal issue: the gap between those who serve and those who lead.

In global conflict zones, from the Sahel to South Asia, soldiers often battle both external threats and internal injustice.

What is unfolding in Nigeria mirrors that struggle, but it also presents an opportunity: to fix what’s broken and restore dignity to service.

The Road Ahead

For Nigeria, this is a moment of reckoning.

The armed forces, government institutions, and civil society must come together to ensure that frontline troops are respected, protected, and properly supported.

This is because at the heart of this video is a simple truth: a nation that neglects its defenders risks its own future.

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