Soldiers demand allowance before Maiduguri posting

There was tension at the 55 Battalion
Bonny Camp, Lagos on Thursday following
the grumbling by 200 soldiers over the
alleged non-payment of their three
months mission allowances.
Our correspondents reliably gathered
that the 200 soldiers were part of the 800
troops that just returned from Darfur,
Sudan where they had gone to for a peace
keeping operation.
The soldiers after their return, it was
learnt, were redeployed again to the
North-East to join the battle against
insurgents.
The contingent is said to be led by Lt. Col.
H. Dasuki, who unconfirmed sources said,
is related to the immediate former
National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo
Dasuki (retd.).
They are expected to leave Lagos for
Maiduguri on Friday (today).
But our one of our correspondents
gathered that the soldiers said they would
not proceed to Maiduguri except their
allowances for the Sudan operation were
paid.
This, they argued, would enable them to
leave money behind for their families.
The issue had not been resolved as of the
time of filling the report.
A military source said such posting
without payment of allowances was not
acceptable to the military high command
as it was contrary to a directive from the
Defence headquarters.
Reacting to the subtle protest, the Public
Relations Officer of the 81 Division, Lt. Col.
Kingsley Samuel, said that the soldiers
who returned from foreign mission in
Sudan were not involved in such a
protest.
He said that that there was no grumbling
whatsoever in the Bonny Camp.
He said, “There is nothing like grumbling
in that battalion. It is not true.”