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Nigerian Army Ranks, Symbols And Salary Structure: Salaries Of Captain, Lieutenant, Colonel, Major General

nigerian army ranks salary structure

Nigerian Army Ranks, Symbols And Salary Structure: Salaries Of Captain, Lieutenant, Colonel, Major General

The military is charged with the safety and security of any independent people. Their primary goal is to ensure the borders of a sovereign state are well protected at all times from every form of internal and external attack and to defend their country should the need arise. The military of any sovereign state is majorly divided into three categories: the military body which combats external forces on land known as the Army, those who combat in the air known as the Air force, and those who combat on water ways otherwise known as the Navy. Countries that possess a strong military are often feared and respected in the international system.

Nigeria is said to possess one of the largest military might in Africa. Like every other military structure, it constitutes of the army, the navy and the air force. The Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force, constitute the Nigerian Armed Forces. Prior to 1956, it was known as the Royal West African Frontier Force. Since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the Nigerian military has fought in the Biafra war and participated in various peacekeeping missions around Africa.

The Nigerian Army Emblem

The Nigerian Army is the military force charged with defending the country against all war threats on land. It boasts of having the largest number of personnel in the Nigerian Armed Forces, its headquarters is located in Abuja. The motto of the Nigerian army is “victory is from God alone” this inscription can be found on the emblem of the Nigerian army. The flag of the army has three straight lines coloring red, black and red. Upon these colors, seats the emblem of the Nigerian army. This emblem contains a bunch of closely knitted yellow and black right angle triangles, embedded within the six pointy tips of a star.

This star has an eagle perched upon it. A ribbon containing the motto of the Nigerian army is located below the star. The motto is inscribed in Arabic. The eagle represents the strength as well as the quick responsiveness of the Nigerian army. The yellow and black star represents the union of Nigeria as a nation, which was formed in 1914 with the amalgamation of the north and south. The colors black and red stand for mechanized arsenal and enemy activities respectively.

Nigerian Army Ranks And Symbols

The ranks within the Nigerian army are divided into two categories namely: the ranks for the commissioned officers and ranks for non-commissioned officers. The ranks for the commissioned officers are divided in to eleven while the ranks for non-commissioned officers are divided into seven. A commissioned officer is a person in the military whose rank is validated by a government issued document  which is called a commission while a non-commissioned officer is one who does not have a commission document or rather has not earned one. To earn this document, a non-commission officer is going to have to gradually rise through the enlisted ranks. In the civilian world this document can be said to be the equivalent an official letter of appointment issued by the government.

Ranks Of Non Commissioned Nigerian Army Officers

Listed from the lowest rank to the highest here are the army ranks.

Private: This is the office of the lowest ranking officer in the Nigerian army as the office of army private is said to be the lowest army rank. Those who have been newly recruited into the army fall under this rank. Officers of this rank usually have no insignia. An insignia is a badge that holds the symbols of a military officer’s rank. The insignia of the military is found on the shoulder.

Lance corporal: This rank still falls under the category of the lowest rank. These officers have one mark of their insignia which is located on the shoulder.

Corporal: This rank has an insignia constituting of two marks. He/she is in charge of a small team of lance corporals and is meant to ensure that they maintain a high standard in appearance and carrying out their duties.

Sergeant: Sergeants of the Nigerian army are next in hierarchy; they have three marks as a symbol of their rank.

Staff Sergeant: The symbol of the staff sergeant consists of a golden eagle above and three marks below. They are usually squadron leaders.

Warrant Officer II: These officers are next in command to warrant officers class I. Their rank symbol is a golden crown of olive leaves surrounding a golden eagle.

Warrant Officer I: This is the highest rank among non-commissioned officers. This rank carries on it insignia the Nigerian Coat of Arms in gold, with exception of the horses which appear in silver. They are technical specialists.

Ranks Of Commissioned Nigerian Army Officers

Commission officers are high ranking officers with a commission the list of these ranking officers include:

Second Lieutenant: On both shoulders, the second lieutenant has a silver star as the rank symbol of this position.

Lieutenant: This officer has two silver stars arranged vertically on their shoulders as a representation of their ranks.

Captain: The captain is responsible for a company of soldiers. These officers have three stars vertically arranged on both shoulders.

Major: A major is said to command a battalion, which is directly above a company. On both shoulders, a Major of the Nigerian army has a silver eagle.

Lieutenant Colonel: These ranks of officers have a silver eagle as well one Silver Star arranged in a vertical line on both shoulders.

Colonel: On each insignia on both shoulders, vertically arranged the colonel has a silver eagle and two silver stars.

Brigadier General: The brigadier general as the name implies is in charge of a brigade. Their insignia has a silver eagle and three silver stars arrange in the form of a triangle.

Major General: These ranks of officers have on their insignia, the symbol of a crossed golden sword and baton beneath a golden eagle on both shoulders.

Lieutenant General: The Lieutenant General also has a symbol of a crossed gold sword and baton, as well as a gold star and eagle. All arranged in a vertical form.

General: This is the number two rank in the Nigerian army. The emblem of the general all in gold consists of a crossed sword and baton, also two stars and an eagle. These symbols are also vertically arranged.

Army Field marshal: At the highest rank is the Army Field Marshal. This position has a symbol of the crossed gold colored sword and baton enclosed by two gold branches and a golden eagle at the top. The position has never been occupied by any officer. The rank of General is highest office the Nigerian army has ever produced.

Nigerian Army Salary Structure For Non Commissioned Officers

A Private collects a monthly salary of N 49,000 and a Lance Corporal collects a salary of N 55,000. A Corporal is entitled to N 58,000.

A Sergeant goes home with about N 63,000 while a Staff Sergeant goes with N 68,000.

The rank of Warrant Officer II has a salary of N 80,000 every month and Warrant Officer I gets N 90,000.

Nigerian Army Salary Structure For Commissioned Officers

The Second Lieutenant has a take home salary of N160, 000, a Lieutenant takes home N180, 000.

A Captain is monthly paid the sum of N220, 000. On promotion to the rank of Major an officer is paid N300, 000.

Lieutenant Colonel collects a salary of N350, 000. When promoted to the office of a Colonel, he collects N550, 000 on a monthly basis.

A Brigadier General has a salary of N750, 000 while a Major General has a salary of N950, 000.

The monthly salary of the rank of the Lieutenant General is N1 million and the General is paid N1.5 million monthly.

Above is the list of salaries of the Nigerian army. As it is clearly seen the junior officers who carry out the most dangerous activities can be considered as being under paid.

Chief Of Nigerian Army Staff

The Nigerian army is headed by the Chief of Army Staff. This post is usually given to the most senior commissioned officer in the army at the time.  The first officer to occupy this position was Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon. He was by no means the first military head but just the first to occupy this office upon its creation. Several other officers have occupied this position over the years. The present Chief of Army Staff is known as Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai. He took over this office in 2015.

The life of military personnel is a regimented one. It is governed by order and discipline. They are always ready to take up arms should the need arise to defend. The bulk of this defense falls on the army. Nigerian soldiers are hardly being paid and honored enough for their courage and sacrifice. They are constantly being put in life threatening situations yet, they follow orders no questions asked in the defense of the country. Braving places others are afraid to thread. Their courage and bravery should be greatly applauded.

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