The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has explained that a system glitch could be blamed for the delay in the payment of Ration Cash Allowance (RCA) to some soldiers.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Magnus Kangye, who made the clarification, added that the delay can’t be blamed on field commanders or the military high command.
The RCA is an allowance meant to support soldiers’ feeding and welfare while on active field operations.
He assured that the military authorities have approved the necessary payments and the commanders are not withholding funds meant for the soldiers under their supervision who are active in various operations across the country.
According to him, the issue of personnel welfare remains a priority, and the soldiers would not be made to go out on empty stomachs.
Naijaonpoint reports that Kangye made the clarification on Thursday in Abuja while fielding questions from newsmen during a press briefing at the DHQ in Abuja.
“The issue of soldiers’ welfare has been a recurring one, and we have always explained that no field commander will be given money to feed his troops or pay their allowances and then refuse to do so.
“Meaning the soldiers are going to fight on an empty stomach, their morale will dampen. So if that happens in the bush, where will the soldier get money to feed himself?” Kangye said.
Explaining further, the DHQ spokesperson said glitches in the banking system may be responsible for the delays, as no system is perfect, but the soldiers would surely get their entitlements.
“Yes, there may be some delay in some instances, but definitely, that RCA will be paid. A delay of a day or two could occur because of certain transaction issues. Nothing is perfect, no system is perfect,” he added.
To drive home his point, Kangye likened the situation to a family setting where a person transfers money to a relative, but the recipient does not immediately receive the funds due to banking system glitches.
He assured that there is no deliberate attempt to deny troops their welfare or entitlements.
“Even you, at the end of the month, you want to transfer the feeding allowance to your family, and you transfer the money from your phone, but your wife said she didn’t see it. She sends you her balance. So where is the money? Will you not tell her to wait? Maybe there is an issue with the bank. Is it not true?” Kangye said.
Naijaonpoint understands the clarification follows complaints from soldiers deployed under DHQ-led operations, particularly Operation Fasan Yamma in the North-West and Operation Whirl Stroke in the North-Central, who alleged that they had not received their Ration Cash Allowance since August 2025.
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