(FACT CHECK): Allegations against two commanding officers misleading — soldiers’ allowances paid, Oando feeds troops but hasn’t remitted RCA

By: Zagazola Makama

A wave of social-media circulating this week that two commanding officers withheld soldiers’ entitlements and allowed troops to go unpaid is, on close examination, misleading and lacks important context, military sources and documentary material seen by Zagazola show.

This fact-check explains what is true, what is misleading, and what the public needs to know about (a) how soldiers’ entitlements are supposed to work, (b) the role of the private company Oando at some locations, (c) how the units covered pay shortfalls, and (d) the record of infrastructure and welfare projects that earned the officers formal commendations.

Findings by Zagazola Makama revealed that contrary to social media reports, troops deployed in Brass, Obama, and Oando Headquarters are receiving their operational allowances promptly. Investigations also confirmed that soldiers in those locations are fed three times daily by the oil companies hosting them (OANDO), in line with directives from the Army High Command.

Military authorities clarifies that RCA (Ration Cash Allowance): a cash payment to soldiers only when no organised feeding is provided. RCA is intended to allow troops to buy food where there is no centralised or company-provided feeding.

Central feeding / company feeding: where a company (or the unit) provides daily meals (typically three times per day), policy and practice are to stop paying RCA because the ration need is being met centrally. This is consistent with standing practice across deployment theatres.

“Oando, for instance, has not paid RCA for over four months but continues to provide daily meals for all deployed personnel, Zagazola report that the claim has also been confirmed by Oando Authorities. The decision, however, did not go well with the soldiers who feel they are being shortchanged.

Zagazola further findings revealed also that despite Oando’s failure to remit the RCA/related funds to the unit’s account, the unit continued to pay Operation allowances from its own resources so soldiers would not go unpaid.

A senior officer explained: Operational allowance is the entitlement of every soldier on deployment. That has been paid promptly, including the September allowance. The RCA is not applicable because Oando feeds the soldiers directly. This is not peculiar to the Niger Delta; even in the North-East theatre, once central feeding is provided, cash allowance is not given.”he said.

“This clarity is important because some mischievous individuals are trying to mislead the public into believing that allowances were withheld, when in fact the soldiers are well fed and paid all their entitlement,” one officer stressed.

He added that the viral reports alleging non-payment were “a sponsored gimmick designed to discredit the Commanding Officers, destabilize troops’ morale, and open the door for compromise.”

Far from short-changing their men, the Commanding Officers of 5 Battalion and 343 Artillery Regiment have spearheaded unprecedented welfare and infrastructural development in their formations, drawing commendations from both the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

Lt Col I.A. Al-Makura, Commanding Officer, 343 Artillery Regiment, Restored electricity to Elele Barracks after almost four years of blackout, boosting morale, comfort, and operational readiness, reconstructed and tastefully furnished the Commanding Officer’s residence at Elele Barracks, build five blocks of classrooms at the NAOWA School, Elele Barracks, improving access to education for soldiers’ children as well as converted old classroom blocks into 20-man, two-bedroom flats, fully equipped with modern amenities to enhance soldiers’ living standards.

Lt Col I.G. Fashona, Commanding Officer, 5 Battalion, Sank solar-powered boreholes within soldiers’ quarters, providing clean water for families, reconstructed the Quarter Guard and RSM’s office at 5 Battalion, renovated several soldiers’ accommodation blocks, easing long-standing challenges of congestion and dilapidation, partnered with 343 Regiment to execute multiple projects within months of assumption of duty.

In a commendation letter, the GOC 6 Division hailed both officers for their “sacrificial leadership, selflessness, and unwavering commitment to the welfare of troops and their families.” He noted that their efforts “clearly demonstrate a deep understanding of and alignment with the COAS’ Command Philosophy which emphasizes leadership, operational efficiency, and welfare of personnel.”

During a recent visit to the Niger Delta, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Olufemi Oluyede personally commissioned several of the projects executed by the two officers. He lauded them for “proactive leadership, prudent resource management, and dedication to the well-being of troops.”

According to him, their achievements have not only improved soldiers’ welfare but also enhanced the operational readiness of formations tasked with safeguarding vital oil and gas infrastructure.

Insiders say the misinformation campaign is linked to vested interests seeking to disrupt the stability brought about by the leadership of the COs. The officers’ insistence on discipline, transparency, and proper feeding arrangements has been credited with boosting troops’ morale and effectiveness.

The improved operational climate, analysts note, is partly responsible for Nigeria’s recent increase in oil production from 1.3–1.4 million barrels per day to about 1.8 million barrels per day. The fake reports are nothing but a desperate attempt to undermine the progress in the Niger Delta,” another officer added.

(FACT CHECK): Allegations against two commanding officers misleading — soldiers’ allowances paid, Oando feeds troops but hasn’t remitted RCA