The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Magnus Kangye, made the clarification on Thursday while fielding questions from journalists during a press briefing at the DHQ in Abuja.
The Defence Headquarters, Abuja, (DHQ) has said that the delay in the payment of Ration Cash Allowance (RCA) to soldiers deployed in various military operations across Nigeria is not the fault of field commanders or the military high command.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Magnus Kangye, made the clarification on Thursday while fielding questions from journalists during a press briefing at the DHQ in Abuja.
Kangye said any delay in the payment of the allowance could only have occurred within the financial system, insisting that no commander would deliberately withhold money meant for troops under their supervision.
"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," he said.
"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 explained that occasional delays could arise from transaction or system issues, but assured that all affected personnel would eventually receive their allowances.
"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 said.
Drawing an analogy with everyday financial transactions, Kangye compared the situation to a domestic transfer that fails to reflect immediately.
"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," he quipped.
The DHQ spokesman maintained that such hitches should not be interpreted as deliberate attempts to deprive troops of their entitlements or undermine their welfare.
His clarification follows growing 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.
The allowance is a key component of soldiers' welfare, meant to cover their feeding and basic sustenance while on active field duty.
Over the years, reports of delayed or unpaid allowances have repeatedly surfaced in the Nigerian military, sparking concerns about accountability, morale, and the overall welfare of personnel battling insecurity across multiple fronts.