A dismissed Nigerian soldier, Rotimi Olamilekan, popularly known as Soja Boi (with the service number 18NA/77/1009 LCPL), serving with the 81 Division Task Force Battalion in Borno State, has alleged that personnel of the Nigerian Army purchase their uniforms and protective gear with personal funds despite earning modest salaries.

The former lance corporal, Olamilekan, a military content creator known for his humorous videos, made the claims in a yet-to-be-released interview on the Honest Brunch Podcast alongside human rights activist Omoyele Sowore.

Speaking during the interview, he disclosed details of his earnings while in service, noting that his salary was recently increased.

“As a soldier, like presently now (Before he was dismissed in March), them dey pay me, the last salary wey I collect for army N109,000 or N111,000. But before that, it was just last year, February, that they increase the salary. Before now, N51,000,” he said.

He added that allowances brought the total to about N70,000 before the increment, but described survival on such income as extremely difficult.

“And how were you surviving on 71,000 Naira? The suffer, suffer no be small. Apart from the salary, nothing more. Nothing dey enter for you as a soldier,” he said.

Olamilekan further alleged that soldiers are responsible for purchasing their own uniforms, which he said are costly.

When Sowore asked, “What about uniform? Did they give you uniform?, Soja Boi replied, “No, they don’t give uniform now, soldier. Ask any soldier. They buy them,” he said.

Providing cost estimates, he noted that uniforms and boots often exceed a soldier’s monthly salary.

“The uniform is about N55,000. Yes. Now you go buy uniform, now you go buy boots, now you go buy anything you want to use. The boots, sometimes N60,000 for one pair of boots,” he said.

He also claimed that essential protective gear, such as bulletproof vests and helmets, is not provided, except in rare situations.

Sowore also asked,”What about armour bullet proof, helmet… all those ones, they don’t give you. So you buy it yourself?”

He replied,” I swear, nobody will give you. ” he said.

According to him, such equipment is only made available during special visits by high-ranking officials.

“If you see say maybe soldier wear that thing, maybe say they get one kind, or this big visitor, maybe governor, they want to go on occasion… they just go pack one and come,” he said.

He added that soldiers often operate in high-risk environments like Sambisa without adequate protection.

” Nobody will give you now if you no buy am… If anything they happen, now una he go first meet without bulletproof. Who won give you now?” he said.

Olamilekan also recounted his deployment experience in Maiduguri, stating that he spent over four years in the conflict zone despite standard rotation timelines.

“So that Maiduguri, I don spend about four years, nine months now, and they tell us, yes, now two years before they will rotate you. Me, I don do double, I don do the third,” he said.

The dismissed soldier had earlier gone viral in February 2026 after releasing a video criticising the treatment of soldiers and calling on political leaders to send their children to the war front.

In the video, he challenged political officeholders to experience military service firsthand.

“In this country, we have 36 governors, we have senators, we have ministers. Let each one of them bring their son to join the Nigerian Army. May they join the Nigerian Army, not even the officer, may they join the other rank,” he said.

He added that such exposure would help them understand the realities faced by soldiers.

“So that they can come and witness what we, what we dey witness… every day, this killing is too much,” he said.

According to his management, Olamilekan was arrested about eight weeks ago, following the video and spent his birthday in detention before being released, sparking the #FreeSojaBoi campaign on social media.

Confirming his release in a post on Instagram on March 2026 , he expressed appreciation to supporters.

“We are grateful to everyone who stood up, spoke out, and used their platforms to demand fairness. Your voices were heard,” he wrote.

“To friends, family, fans, and supporters across different platforms, thank you for your unwavering support during this difficult time. Your reposts, tags, messages, and concern meant everything. You showed that unity and collective voice still matter,” he added.

He also claimed that his dismissal from service was linked to his earlier video.

“I was arrested and dismissed as a Nigerian soldier because of a video I made last year, where I called on politicians’ children to join the military,” he said.

Before his dismissal, Olamilekan had built a strong online presence, often appearing in military attire while creating comedic and lifestyle content.

He also runs a clothing brand, Giran Wears, which focuses on customised streetwear.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anaele, said she would address the viral claims made by the former officer in an official statement.Anaele neither confirmed nor denied the allegation.

“I’ll get back to you with a formal statement. You have to wait,” she said. (The PUNCH)

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