The Nigerian Army has assured that the welfare of troops remains a priority for authorities, especially with regard to the war against Boko Haram insurgents.

Hassan Umaru, a Major General and new head of the counter-insurgency campaign, Operation Lafiya Dole, stated this on Wednesday in his maiden press briefing in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Umaru’s statement came barely 24 hours after the www.icirnigeria.org reported that soldiers of the army’s special strike squad, AHQ Strike Group, are being owed two months operation allowance.

This website also reported that soldiers were yet to be paid their December salary, a situation that has further aggravated their precarious financial condition.

According to the commander, the problem of delay in payment of salaries and allowances was caused by the presidential directive that all MDAs operate a Single Treasury Account, TSA.

“A number of troops have not accessed their salaries and allowances due to the new policy on monthly posting to individual accounts, BVN and differences in names of accounts. It is an issue that is being addressed,” he explained.

Umaru applauded both the media and traditional rulers for their roles in keeping the people conscious of security issues in the North east, adding that every Nigerian must join hands with the government to ensure that insurgency becomes a thing of the past.

The newly appointed General Officer Commanding, GOC, 7 Division, Victor Ezugwu, a Brigadier General, enjoined journalists to also confirm their information with military authorities to avoid contradictory and misleading reports that could be inimical to national security.

However, in the past journalists have had difficulties in cross checking information with the military authorities. For example, on Tuesday, attempts by our reporter to confirm the reason for the delay in paying soldiers’ allowances were unsuccessful as the media coordinator of Operation Lafiya Dole, Mustapha Anka, a Colonel, did not answer calls to his phone or reply a text message sent to him.

Also, the Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, a Colonel, who also did not answer his phone, sent an SMS asking the reporter to send him a text message but did not reply when it was sent.