Soldier writes Buhari, alleges corruption, failure in Army, says Nigeria’s will be worse than Sudan’s insurrection

An officer of the Nigerian Army of the Infantry Corps, Sgt. Hassan Adewuza, has written an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic Of Nigeria, alleging ‘continuous corruption and failure in the military hierarchy’.

In the letter dated April 10, 2023, Sgt. Adewuza reminded President Buhari that the Nigerian military is still fantastically corrupt especially, the Army, where “every senior officer cares… more of his pockets and careless of the lives and welfare of his subordinates”.

He also alleged that military commanders collected huge sums of money to turn a blind eye to intimidations, killings and suppression of voters during the just-concluded 2023 general elections.

“We work like elephants but eat like ants… A young commissioned officer today receives better treatment than a very senior NCO. It’s very painful and we can’t take it anymore,” he cried.

In the Army, he said, “we have more eye service than loyalty. No soldier is willing to die for senseless leaders anymore,” he stated emphatically.

He also lamented the dearth of serviceable Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) for armored battalion which is supposed to be equipped with 36 battle tanks.

“Do not say I didn’t warn you. Soldiers are angry; do what is necessary. Do not forget that this country is now sitting on a keg of gun powder and any little spark can cause a deadly explosion,” he warned.

The letter reads in full:

Sir,

Continuous Corruption and Failure of the Military Hierarchy

I honestly want to call on the attention of Mr. President on the above mention subject. It is no longer a top secret but an open secret that the Nigerian military is fantastically corrupt especially, the Nigerian army.

This has been proven by the events of the past few years starting from the fight against insurgence/banditry to the just concluded elections.

Every senior officer in the Nigerian Army today cares more of his pockets and careless of the lives and welfare of his subordinates in the just concluded election, the Nigerian police paid every policeman the sum of N180,000 whether they took part on the election or not.

But in the Army, those that took part in the elections exercise were paid N10,000, N9,000 and N7,500 depending on the command and some command nothing was given to them even pure water.

And it was no secret that millions of naira were disbursed to the military for this purpose. Some military commanders even collected huge sums of money to turn a blind eye to intimidations, killings and suppression of voters.

I am writing to you today, Mr. President, to look into the plight of junior member of the army especially the order ranks because a day of reckoning is coming. We have suffered for far too long. It seems like in our cadre there is no dignity in labour.

We work like elephants but eat like ants. Imagine how it feels after putting in more than 20 years of your life in the service and still being treated like trash. A young commissioned officer today receives better treatment than a very senior NCO. It’s very painful and we can’t take it anymore.

Mr. President, loyalty is one of the core values of the army but let me inform you that loyalty is almost, if not completely, dead in the Nigerian Army. We have more eye service than loyalty. No soldier is willing to die for senseless leaders anymore.

The country is not worth dying for, especially when you think of the ill-treatment you receive from your leaders, or is it the ill-treatment our dead colleagues’ families receive. Our lives are now seen as wasteful sacrifices to fill the pockets of inhumane senior military officers.

The army is poorly paid and poorly equipped e.g. in the armored corps. An armored battalion is supposed to be equipped with 36 battle tanks but name one armor battalion in Nigeria today that have 5 serviceable battles tank.

How many mechanized battalions today can be proud of one or two serviceable Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC). Toyota Hilux which is supposed to be a logistics vehicle is now our main operational vehicle in the Nigerian army and yet you call this an Army?

Mr. President, we want an Army that meets international standard we have what it takes as a nation to do that. We feel ashamed to call ourselves soldiers when we meet in foreign missions with our counterparts from other nations.

For these reasons anger is building up in the army. Soldiers are angry and something have to be done quickly or you will see Ghana’s June 4th, 1979, happening in Nigeria. This in-house cleaning will shake the nation and Africa.

Soldiers are leaving the job in high numbers and most reasons is loss of interest that should have send a signal but no.

Do not say I didn’t warn you. Soldiers are angry do what is necessary. Do not forget that this country is now sitting on a keg of gun powder and any little spark can cause a deadly explosion.

Yours Sincerely,

Sgt. Hassan Adewuza

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