The Defence Headquarters has assured troops across the country that the delay in the payment of their Ration Cash Allowance is not due to negligence or withholding of funds by field commanders, but rather system-related transaction hitches.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Magnus Kangye, made the clarification on Thursday while addressing journalists at a media briefing in Abuja.
Kangye said the military leadership remained committed to ensuring the welfare of all personnel, particularly those deployed in various operational theatres nationwide.
“The issue of soldiers’ welfare has always been a priority,” Kangye stated. “No commander will be given money to pay his men or feed his troops and then refuse to do so. If soldiers go hungry, their morale drops—and that will affect their performance in the field.”
He acknowledged that payment delays sometimes occur due to system or transaction glitches within the financial network, but assured that affected personnel would receive their entitlements.
“Yes, there may be some delay in some instances, but the allowances will definitely be paid,” he explained. “A day or two delay could happen because of technical issues. No system is perfect, but these funds are not missing.”
Drawing an analogy, Kangye compared the situation to routine banking delays faced by ordinary citizens.
“Sometimes you transfer money to your family, and your wife calls to say she hasn’t received it. You both check the balance, but the money isn’t there yet—it doesn’t mean you didn’t send it. It’s just a bank delay,” he said.
The clarification followed reports that some soldiers, particularly those deployed under Operation Fasin Yamma in the North-West and Operation Whirl Stroke in the North-Central, had not received their RCA since August 2025.
Kangye cautioned against misinterpreting such delays as deliberate acts to deprive soldiers of their entitlements.
“We understand the concerns raised, but I want to assure our troops that their welfare remains a top priority. No one is sitting on their money,” he reiterated.
The Ration Cash Allowance is paid to soldiers on active field duty to support their feeding and operational welfare.
Over the years, delays in disbursement of allowances have occasionally sparked discontent within the ranks, but the military maintains that reforms in the payment system are ongoing to ensure efficiency and transparency.
