The Nigerian Army says it is taking steps to report Dr Sidi Ali Mohammed, a member of Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative (PCNI), to appropriate authority over his knowledge on Boko Haram welfare.
The spokesman of the army, Col. Sagir Musa made this known in a statement on Wednesday.
Musa was reacting to Mohammed’s allegation that the “terrorist group members earn as much as $3,000 daily as against the Nigerian soldier who is paid N1, 000 only.’’
He, however, urged Nigerians to discountenance the statement credited to Mohammed, saying “steps are being taken to formally report him to the appropriate authorities to further substantiate these unfounded allegations.’’
Musa said that the Nigerian army’s attention was drawn to the “false claim credited to Mohammed as published by the Sahara Reporters and other social media platforms.’’
“In it, he alleged that the criminal terrorist group members earn as much as $3,000 daily, as against the Nigerian soldier who is paid N1, 000 only.
“This is not true, pure lie and highly irresponsible comment coming from a supposedly knowledgeable person of his calibre.
“It is also criminal and preposterous to compare the gallant soldiers of our Armed Forces with the rag tag terrorists’ criminal gang.
“Indeed there is no such basis at all between the outlawed criminal terrorist who commits crime against humanity and our highly patriotic, courageous and brave soldiers whose sacrifice cannot be quantified,’’ Musa said.
He said over time, the army had been alerting the world that the menace of Boko Haram terrorism was being “aided and abetted by sympathisers such as Doctor Sidi Ali Mohammed.’’
“He must have been associated with the terrorists’ group beyond what he may want the public to know for having the knowledge of how much a terrorist earns per day to commit atrocities against fellow Nigerians and other innocent people including women and children.’’
The army spokesman alleged that Mohammed’s statement could be part of a deliberate attempt to demoralise patriotic troops serving their fatherland so that the terrorists can take advantage of it.
“It is also a way of swaying the gullible youths to believe the lies of Boko Haram terrorists as being peddled by him.’’
Musa, however, assured Nigerians that the army would remain resolute and focused in the fight against terrorism and insurgency, adding “no amount of distraction or terrorists’ propaganda will dissuade it.’’
Mohammed had lamented that Boko Haram has been hijacked and operates like a cartel.
“I will give you an example. The Nigerian military, for example, gets N1, 000 per day for being in the Northeast, at the war front, as an allowance.
“The same Northeast, where if you are a member of Boko Haram you get $3,000 per day, as allowance. So it is lucrative.
“Sometimes they even give you money upfront. So we must do something about the youths from where they are recruiting,” Mohammed was quoted to have said.
