Heartbreaking Video: Mother of Nigerian Soldier Curses Govt Over Poor Troop Welfare

Elderly woman the mother of a serving Nigerian soldier

Heartbreaking Video: Mother of Nigerian Soldier Curses Govt Over Poor Troop Welfare

A deeply emotional video of an elderly woman, the mother of a serving Nigerian soldier, has gone viral, capturing her raw outcry and harsh condemnation of the Nigerian government over what she describes as the poor welfare and neglect of her son and other troops deployed to fight insurgents.

In the widely shared footage, the woman — a widow of a former soldier who served in the Nigerian Army for 36 years — tearfully recounts the suffering her son endures while on deployment. She said that despite her husband’s long service, he never witnessed the level of hardship her son and fellow soldiers now face on the frontline. According to the woman, her son regularly calls her to complain about the difficult conditions, lack of adequate support, insufficient supplies, and hardship faced by soldiers in the bush while prosecuting the war against insurgents and armed groups.

“Please leaders of Nigeria. Our children are in the bush. I have told my son if you can no longer continue, come back home. God will feed us,” the grieving mother said in the video.

She appealed directly to political leaders, urging them to take urgent action to improve troop welfare. She described how her son and other soldiers are “suffering in the bush” with limited comfort, support, and care.

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She said: “My husband did soldier work for 36 years, they never encountered this thing but small small children are suffering in the bush. You are taking our children to make money. Nigerian leaders, it will never be well with you people. It will never be well with you people.” Her plea continued: “I have told my son, if you cannot continue, come back home. It is not by force. Nigerian leaders and government, please do something about our children in the bush. Please, I am an old soldier’s wife. My son joined the Army and he is crying.”

The video sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many users expressing sympathy for the mother and raising concerns about the welfare of soldiers and their families. Citizens highlighted ongoing issues such as insufficient allowances, lack of proper equipment, poor access to medical care, and limited psychological support, emphasising that morale and operational effectiveness depend heavily on how well soldiers and their loved ones are cared for.

While the Nigerian Army and the Ministry of Defence occasionally release statements on welfare initiatives, critics argue that practical implementation often falls short. The viral video has brought renewed attention to longstanding debates about soldiers’ welfare, especially for those deployed in North‑East states battling insurgency, North‑West regions facing banditry, and North‑Central areas with communal violence. Veterans’ advocacy groups and concerned citizens have called for increased funding for troop welfare, faster payment of allowances, improved family support, and better transparency in military welfare programmes.

As of now, neither the Nigerian government nor the Nigerian Army has publicly responded to the video or addressed the specific welfare concerns raised by the mother. Observers say that the emotional plea is likely to intensify public pressure on policymakers to review welfare systems and provide tangible support for troops and their families.