Boko Haram: Soldiers Petition Buhari, Buratai Over ‘Embezzlement’ Of Allowances

Some soldiers involved in the ongoing onslaught against Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State have sent a Save- Our- Soul (SOS) to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai over alleged embezzlement by one of their top officials.

But the Army Headquarters has assured the allegations would be investigated despite stating the aggrieved soldiers went about their complaints wrongly.

According to the petition, the top official allegedly siphoned their welfare and allowances and refused to pay cigarette allowances since January despite a signal from the Nigerian Army (NA), notifying them of the introduction of N200 monthly cigarette allowance.

The aggrieved soldiers alleged that instead of N24, 000 welfare allowance, including N12, 000 given them by the COAS, the official only paid them N12, 000.

“The only money he paid is the N12000 welfare given to us by COAS. Other battalions under the Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole have already paid their soldiers N24, 000 including the N12000 of COAS,” they said.

The soldiers also alleged that the official exposes them to danger by refusing to send vehicles and escorts to Maiduguri to bring back soldiers who went on pass, a tradition, they said previous COs upheld.