The Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, expressed concern last month over the persistently low enlistment of youths from the Southeast geopolitical zone into the Nigerian Army.
Shaibu disclosed this during the passing-out parade of the pioneer batch of 90 regular recruits at the Nigerian Army Recruit Training Depot, Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State.
Reports have it that the Nigerian government is begging the Southeast to fill its slots, while youths in other parts of the country are fiercely competing for the limited slots in the Army.
“The South-East’s quota of recruitment has remained unfilled for years. The trend is unacceptable,” Shaibu said.
The Army Chief however urged traditional rulers, parents, community leaders and other stakeholders in the region to encourage eligible young men and women to take advantage of the recruitment opportunities available in the Nigerian Army.
He says military service is not just a career, but an honorable calling that represents patriotism, leadership and national service.
He said: “We seek your continued support because military service is very demanding. Please support them, encourage them and pray for them.
“To our hosts the Ndigbo, I humbly appeal to you to encourage your youths to take their rightful place in the defense of our fatherland.
‘There has not been full utilization of recruitment quota allocated to this zone for some time now. This isn’t right. Military service is an honorable pursuit of patriotism, leadership and national contribution; it is not just a career.
Therefore, I urge all community leaders, parents, guardians and elders across the Southeast to encourage our young men and women to see this depot as theirs and come out to serve the nation.”
Nobody wants to come in – Orji Kalu
Former Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu had also expressed concern on the reluctance of a lot of people from the Southeast to join the security agencies in the country.
Kalu said this while speaking on the state of the nation in a recent interview with News Central TV.
The Abia Senator stated that in his area, people were often given application forms to join the Nigerian Army, Police and Air Force but many were still not willing to apply.
I know in my area they give me forms for people to join the Army; nobody wants to join. They give me forms for people to join the Police. Nobody wants to join them. They give me forms for people to join the Air Force, they will not want to apply,” Kalu said.
He said Nigeria’s security problems are related to problems of hatred, tribalism and religious divisions among the citizens.
Kalu said Nigerians, particularly in the South East, should first see themselves as citizens of the same country and work together to solve insecurity.
He also described the armed forces as some of the best institutions in Nigeria, arguing that most of the personnel are not affected by tribalism.
Joe Igbokwe: Southeast will regret Army recruitment rejection
Also an All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain, Joe Igbokwe, warned that the Southeast would pay dearly in the future if the youths in the region continued to show little or no interest in joining the Nigerian Army.
Responding to reports that many recruitment slots allocated to the Southeast are yet to be filled as applicants from the North continue to fill their quotas in their large numbers, Igbokwe described the situation as worrying.
“Mark my words: Southeast will regret turning down Nigerian Army recruitment,” he said.
Igbos suffer systematic marginalization – Lawyer, Ejimakor
However, human rights lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor said the refusal of Igbo youths to join the Nigerian armed forces is not due to a lack of valor but a deliberate refusal to serve an institution they distrust profoundly.
The lawyer made the post on X after the Chief of Army Staff expressed concern over the persistently low enlistment of youths from the Southeast geopolitical zone into the Nigerian Army.
Ejimakor said history and current events show the Igbo people are systematically marginalized in an ethnically skewed leadership structure in Nigeria’s security services.
“The armed forces are also repeatedly weaponized against Ndigbo in times of crisis,” the lawyer said.
“The trauma of the 1967 army massacres of Ndigbo in the North remains an unhealed wound, perpetually reopened by modern atrocities against youths suspected of IPOB links, such as the Nkpor state-sanctioned violence, the Aba prayer ground, Obigbo, the Trump victory rally in Port Harcourt, and many more,” he said.
He also said that the youths are very angry about the inclusion of “repentant” Boko Haram terrorists into the military.
“They will not sacrifice their dignity by being asked to bleed under a prejudiced command, with former terrorists.
“So their unwillingness to enlist is not cowardice. It is rather a silent but powerful protest against an institution that has failed the Ndigbo so many times,” Ejimakor said.
Why Southeast youths do not want to join the Army
With reports that the Nigerian Army is finding it difficult to attract enough applicants from the Southeast for its recruitment exercise, spoke to some young South-easterners on why many youths in the region are reluctant to enlist.
Their answers ranged from concerns about insecurity and poor welfare for soldiers to alleged discrimination, political interference and a general loss of confidence in the military.
‘I don’t want to die for politicians’
In a chat, Tuesday, Chinedu Udemmezue, a trader from Anambra State said he had nothing against the Nigerian Army.
He said he once wanted to join the military but had second thoughts because of the safety of soldiers.
He said: “I don’t have anything against the Nigerian army. I wanted to join when I was younger, actually. But I have no interest today.
My fear is simple: I don’t want to go into the Army and become a casualty of a war politicians aren’t serious about ending. Look at the number of soldiers that are getting killed in different parts of the country.
“Sometimes you hear about soldiers being sent somewhere without the right equipment or support. Then, when something happens they will talk about sacrifices.
“Sacrifice is good, but you’ve got to have some reason to believe your life is valued. I have a family, I have a life. “I cannot just volunteer to die because some people in Abuja want to score some political points.
“There is a trust problem.”
For Enugu State graduate, Ifeanyi Nwankwo, the main problem for him is trust.
“Young people may be reluctant to join an organization where they think opportunities and promotions are not always merit-based,” he said.
“You cannot ask young people to join an organization when they believe that opportunities and promotions are not always based on merit.
“For years there has been a perception that people from the Southeast are treated unfairly by some of the national institutions.
“It’s another matter whether every allegation is true or not. But perception is important. If a young man thinks that even after joining the Army, he may not get equal opportunities because of where he comes from, why would he want to join in a hurry?
The government has to address that perception. “You cannot just announce recruitment and expect people to forget all they have heard or experienced,” he said.
‘Army is not the problem
Chukwuebuka Eze, an undergraduate at Enugu State University of Science and Technology, said he actually wants to join the Army but his parents oppose it.
Rising insecurity across the country was their major concern, he said.
“I want to join the Army really bad. I have always respected the military. But my parents are against it because of insecurity.
They keep asking me, ‘What will you get if you are killed?’ “That question is difficult to answer,” he said.
“Why should I join when soldiers are treated badly?
Uche Madu, 27 years, a mechanic from Imo State said he thought of joining the Army after his secondary school education but changed his mind.
He said one reason was inadequate welfare for soldiers.
“Go and ask the families of soldiers who died in the line of duty if they were properly taken care of. Sometimes it seems the government remembers the soldiers only when they have to send them into trouble.
“If the salary, insurance, housing, healthcare and welfare are attractive, you will see more young people apply.
“Why would I choose military service if I can work here as a mechanic, open a business or travel abroad to possibly earn better money without carrying a gun into a dangerous place?” he asked.
‘Stop politicizing the military’
Obinna Onwe, 29, a civil servant from Ebonyi State, said one of the major factors that discourage young people from joining the military was alleged political interference.
“The main problem for me is political interference.
“The military should be a professional institution that serves the country, not politicians. When young people begin to believe that soldiers are being used to settle political scores or suppress certain communities, it impacts recruitment.
“Look at the history of military intervention in Nigeria. See the various conflicts and how the security agencies are viewed by communities. These things create a sense of resentment.
“If the government is serious about getting young people from the Southeast to join the military, it has to rebuild confidence.
“People can’t be convinced with propaganda. “Provide reasons for them to believe in the institution,” he urged.
“We are still interested” Kelechi Ugwu, 23, an undergraduate from Enugu State, disagreed with the suggestion that Southeast youths have completely lost interest in joining the military.
He said he also applied for Army recruitment because he wants to serve his country.
“I think that it is wrong to say Southeast youths have given up on Nigeria.
“I joined the Army because I wanted to serve my country. I don’t agree with people saying no one from the Southeast wants to join.
“But I get it, why some people are scared. Parents want to keep their kids. Young men have taken up security work and never come back.
What the government should do is improve the conditions of service and make recruitment transparent. “If the youth sees that the soldiers are respected and they have the right weapons, then they will come more.”
‘Government must question, not blame us’
An entrepreneur from Anambra State, Onyemaechi Nwafor, 25, said the government should engage the youth in the region rather than accusing them of abandoning the country.
“I don’t think the answer is to accuse South-Easterners of leaving Nigeria.
Ask the youth why they are not coming. Don’t just sit in Abuja and say they are not patriotic.
“Some are concerned about discrimination.” Some fear insecurity. Some don’t have confidence in the recruitment process, others simply have better opportunities elsewhere.
“If the government wants more people from the region, it should deal with them. Go to the universities, the communities and youth organizations. Describe the opportunities. Fix the complaints. Make them feel wanted in the NA.
“People will react to what they think the country also appreciates about them,” he said.
Analyst urges military reforms, tells Nigerians not to blame Southeast
Meanwhile, a political analyst and communication expert at Peaceland University, Enugu, Nduka Odo, has blamed the problem on poor remuneration, deplorable living conditions and the perceived mishandling of insecurity in the country.
The government should reform the military and make the profession attractive to young people instead of blaming the region for its low recruitment figures, Odo, who spoke on Tuesday, said.
Available records, he said, indicated that the number of youths from the Southeast seeking recruitment into the Nigerian Army had declined significantly.
He said the Southeast youths are very ambitious and want career paths that will give them the opportunity to meet their aspirations and attain global competitive standards.
He said, “Joining the Nigerian Army will not fulfilll their life ambitions. The youth of the region are among the most ambitious in the world.
“They want a system that is up to global standards. They want to be great and to be known in their communities.
‘Soldiers’ pay is rubbish. They ought to go into trading and other businesses, they’d be better off. The low salaries and living standards for soldiers also discourage youths from joining the Army.”
Odo also criticized the state of barracks for military personnel, saying the deplorable condition of some facilities could scare away potential recruits.
‘Have you been to the barracks at all? You’d think no one could live there. Shabby homes. “It’s like the police stations,” he said.
He bemoaned the killing of senior military officers in terrorist and bandits’ attacks, stating that the situation had eroded public confidence in the security system.
“Generals and officers are killed like birds at the hands of terrorists and so-called bandits. But you see the government rejoicing at the repentance of terrorists. “Who does that?” he asked.
Odo also called for a wider discussion on the underrepresentation of Southeast youths in the Nigerian military, stressing that the issue is beyond recruitment into the Army.
He also said the alleged difficulties being faced by the youths of the region to gain admission into the Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA) should be addressed.
“When we talk of Southeast youths not joining the Army, let’s be specific. They’re talking about coming in as recruits.
“We ignored decades of inability of Southeast youths to join Nigerian Defense Academy. These are the people who come out later to lead the military.
“Youngsters without generals as godfathers cannot get into NDA even if they qualify,” he alleged.
He urged the government to also examine the representation of South East youths in other strategic federal institutions and agencies.
“Likewise, the military is not the only thing they need to ask the youth to join. What about NNPC, Customs, Airport Authority and all the other juicy jobs?” he asked.