Grieving families of soldiers killed in ongoing anti-insurgency operations in the North-East have called on the Federal Government to urgently end the bloodshed and improve the conditions of Nigeria’s military personnel.
Interviews with relatives of fallen troops demanded meaningful action against Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists. They urged the government to provide better weapons, enhance troop welfare, and offer support to families of the deceased.
The appeal followed a deadly attack on a Forward Operating Base in Marte, Borno State, on Monday, where five soldiers lost their lives. According to sources, Boko Haram insurgents overran the base, looted arms, and escaped with military vehicles.
While military authorities claimed the attack was repelled, multiple sources disclosed that several soldiers abandoned their posts and fled.
Since the beginning of 2025, military formations across Borno and Yobe states have been persistently targeted by insurgents. On January 4, a Forward Operating Base in Sabon Gari, Damboa LGA, was attacked, resulting in the death of six soldiers.
Later in the month, an ISWAP strike on a base in Malam Fatori, Abadam LGA, killed at least 20 soldiers, including a Commanding Officer.
More attacks followed in Gwoza, Wajiroko, Wulgo, and Buni Gari, leaving several soldiers dead. While the military has occasionally released casualty figures, most incidents remain shrouded in silence.
A widow in Benue State, whose husband died in Borno three months ago, would discourage anyone from joining the army.
My husband fought without proper weapons, food, or shelter. The government is wasting lives.
I won’t let any of my relatives join the military, she said, adding that no compensation had been paid since her husband’s death.
In Gombe, Shamsudeen Abdullahi, whose brother Kamaludeen was killed on May 7, said their family is struggling.
The late soldier, a major support to his family, had sought redeployment before he died in an ambush. His pregnant wife is now left with few means of support.
In Kebbi State, Asma’u Noma, Coordinator of the Military Widows’ Association, said many widows live in poverty.
About 30% have not received insurance or death benefits. Some regret marrying soldiers due to the suffering they now endure, she said.
Similarly, Malama Abdullahi in Kano, now widowed with four children, said her husband’s death left her destitute.
“We can’t feed well or afford school fees. If not for relatives, we would be homeless,” she said, urging the military to implement a robust welfare system for bereaved families.
Aisha Suleiman, whose son is posted in Yobe, said she lives in constant fear.
“Every day I pray he comes back alive. Soldiers are being sent to fight without adequate weapons,” she lamented.
Another parent in Borno, who asked to remain anonymous, criticized the government’s failure to properly arm troops.
These terrorists are better equipped than our soldiers. We want real action, not condolences,” he said.
Retired Brigadier General Yusuf Ladan warned that Nigeria’s military must evolve its strategies and embrace technology to combat modern insurgents.
“Warfare today is driven by tech. We need to be proactive. There are also allegations of foreign support for terror groups, which makes our outdated equipment more concerning,” he noted.
A retired colonel, speaking anonymously from Jigawa State, urged the government to address corruption, boost morale, and ensure proper logistics.
“Until soldiers and their families are treated with dignity and fairness, our military will remain vulnerable. The time to act is now, he said.
With rising casualties and increasing frustration among bereaved families, the demand for urgent reform in military welfare, strategy, and support systems has never been louder. Parents, widows, and retired officers alike are united in their call:
Stop sacrificing the nation’s children.
