NIGERIA IS BETRAYING ITS SOLDIERS — A NATION THAT DEMANDS BLOOD BUT DENIES HONOUR

By Sam Agogo

The Nigeria Armed Forces are not merely defenders of territory; they are the living sacrifice upon which the fragile peace of this nation rests. They are the wall that absorbs chaos, the shield that prevents collapse. Yet, behind every uniform is a human soul — a father, mother, son, daughter — who bleeds silently for a country that too often repays sacrifice with neglect.

The recent death of Brigadier General Uba is not just another casualty. It is a brutal reminder of Nigeria’s moral failure. His fall in battle is a wound not only to his family but to the conscience of the nation. And yet, the silence that followed his death was deafening. No national mourning. No flags lowered. No collective pause. A hero dies, and Nigeria shrugs.

This is betrayal. Betrayal of courage. Betrayal of loyalty. Betrayal of the very blood that waters the soil of our sovereignty.

The cry of a soldier’s wife shattered the illusion of gratitude. Her lament was not just grief — it was a mirror held up to a nation that has abandoned its defenders. She spoke of sleepless nights, of economic hardship, of the cruel “wait-and-pray” existence that defines military families. Every midnight phone call is a blade of terror. Every ring is a possible death sentence. This is the unseen war fought in the homes of Nigeria’s defenders.

Military families live with a constant shadow. Husbands and wives are separated for months, sometimes years. Children grow up with absence as their companion. Spouses raise homes alone, juggling responsibilities that should have been shared. Birthdays, funerals, graduations, and milestones are missed — not because soldiers do not care, but because Nigeria demanded their presence elsewhere. And yet, what does Nigeria give in return? Salaries too small to match the risk. Allowances delayed until dignity is eroded. Families left in loneliness while soldiers miss the very moments that define life. Widows and orphans abandoned to silence when the ultimate price is paid.

The Nigerian Army insists it has “institutionalised a robust welfare system” that provides death benefits and support to next-of-kin. Official statements list packages such as gratuities, pensions, and scholarships for children of fallen heroes. But the lived experiences of families tell a harsher truth: bureaucracy, delays, and neglect often overshadow promises. Widows have spoken of waiting months, even years, to receive death benefits. Allegations of bribery and harassment during the processing of claims have surfaced, forcing the Army to issue clarifications. Humanitarian outreaches in Abuja, Kaduna, and Jos have seen hundreds of widows and wives of serving soldiers receiving palliatives — a gesture that highlights how dependent families are on charity rather than structured national welfare. Children of fallen heroes grow up with unanswered questions. One widow confessed that her son asks why his father never came to his school play — a question she can only answer with tears.

When a soldier falls, life often continues as though nothing happened. No national day of mourning. No half-mast flags. No collective remembrance. Families are left to grieve while the country moves on in silence. Brigadier General Uba’s final moments, captured in a heartbreaking video, showed a hero reduced to mortality. Yet, the honour owed him — and every fallen warrior — remains shamefully absent.

The truth is bitter: Nigeria demands sacrifice but denies gratitude. It demands loyalty but offers abandonment. It demands blood but withholds honour. This must end. It is time for a reckoning — a reckoning that demands better equipment, fair salaries, decent housing, and psychological support; a reckoning that insists on structured systems for widows, widowers, and children of fallen heroes; a reckoning that calls for national remembrance — flags lowered, days of mourning, monuments raised — so that no soldier dies into silence.

Most importantly, it is a reckoning that forces Nigerians to confront the truth: soldiers are not expendable uniforms. They are human beings who bleed, cry, hope, and dream. They are the spine of the nation. And when the spine breaks, the body collapses.

The grieving wife was right: “We have not appreciated them enough.” Her words are not just sorrow. They are prophecy. If Nigeria continues to betray its defenders, the wall will crumble, and chaos will consume us all.

Nigeria must rise. Not tomorrow. Not someday. Now. Rise to honour its soldiers. Rise to comfort their families. Rise to repay courage with dignity. Because a nation that betrays its defenders is a nation already defeated.

For comments, reflections, and further conversation:
Email: samuelagogo4one@yahoo.com
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