The Nigerian Army has urged youths in Abia State and other states in the South-East region to heed the national call to service by enlisting in the military.
The appeal was made in Umuahia on Thursday during the maiden edition of an awareness campaign organised by the Department of Civil-Military Affairs of the Nigerian Army. The programme brought together youths, traditional rulers and representatives of civil society organisations.
Speaking at the event, a retired senior military officer, Gold Chibuisi, encouraged young people from the South-East to stop avoiding military service and instead explore the career opportunities available within the Army.
Chibuisi noted that the Nigerian Army offers diverse professional pathways, including careers in medicine, law, engineering and other specialised fields, adding that the military provides opportunities for personal development and national service.
He also addressed concerns about the alleged profiling of soldiers of Igbo extraction within the armed forces. According to him, claims that soldiers from particular regions are deliberately deployed to the most dangerous battlefronts are unfounded.
The retired general assured South-East youths that the Army maintains fairness in promotions, welfare and career progression, urging parents and guardians to support their children who wish to join the military.
Also speaking at the event, another retired senior officer, Chukwunedum Abraham, expressed concern over the low turnout of applicants from the region during recent recruitment exercises.
He disclosed that statistics from the last recruitment exercise showed that only 671 applicants came from Imo State, while just 428 individuals applied from Ebonyi State.
Abraham lamented that the figures were significantly lower compared to the number of applicants recorded from other geopolitical zones across the country.
In his remarks, the Chief of Civil-Military Affairs of the Nigerian Army, Musa Awwal Etsu-Ndagi, explained that the sensitisation programme was designed to educate youths and opinion leaders about opportunities within the Army while addressing misconceptions about the institution.
He said the campaign aims to strengthen civil-military relations and encourage greater participation of South-East youths in national security efforts.
Also speaking at the event, the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, urged young people in the state to consider careers in the Nigerian Army.
Otti expressed concern that the state had consistently recorded low numbers of applicants in military recruitment exercises over the past few years.
He, however, assured that his administration would support initiatives such as the awareness campaign to encourage more youths from the state to enlist, with the aim of improving participation in future recruitment exercises.
