The Nigerian Army has expressed concern regarding the low enlistment rates of youths from the South East into military service and has called for a change in attitude to address this issue.
The Army highlighted that while Kaduna State has received over 3,000 applications in the ongoing 2025 recruitment exercise, Enugu State has struggled with just around a hundred applications, a trend mirrored in other South East states.
In a bid to encourage participation, the Army urged youths from Enugu and the South East to apply in greater numbers for the current recruitment exercise to meet their quotas.
This call was made during an enlightenment town hall meeting held in Enugu, which included Local Government Council Chairmen, traditional rulers, Presidents-General of town unions, and other community leaders over the weekend.
Brigadier-General Chima Ekeator, leader of the 2025 Army Recruitment Enlightenment Team, stated, “Our people are losing what rightly belongs to them. Each year, whenever a slot is being allocated to our people, we keep noticing that the number of applicants from our side is usually very poor.
“Take for example, Enugu State was given about 200 slots, but the people who made it were never up to 100 due to poor application. This has also become a recurring decimal in other states in the South East.
“Today’s statistics on the number of applicants show that Kaduna has about 3,000 applicants, while Enugu is still battling with about a hundred; and by the time we will be through with screening, you will not have enough to recruit from the state.”
He dismissed the claim that individuals of South East origin are disproportionately sent to the front lines and face higher casualty rates. He emphasised that the region currently holds significant positions within the Army.
“There are a lot of falsehoods out there stating that the Igbo are being killed because they are the first to be sent to the battlefield. These things are not true. After all, we that are here have risen high in the Army and we are telling you that they are lies. Today in the Nigerian Army, our brother is one of the top commanders in charge of equipment. His name is Chibueze Ogbuabor,” he affirmed.
Barr. Lloyd Ekweremadu, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, lamented the persistence of this problem despite collective efforts to reverse it. He called for a review of how opportunities are advertised and stressed the importance of communicating the benefits of serving in the Army.
“While seated here, I was just trying to conduct a very quick research and it appears this same problem is happening worldwide and militaries across the world are deploying more cutting-edge strategies for recruitment because we are talking about the new generation that you communicate in a different way from the past,” he remarked.
He reiterated Governor Peter Mbah’s commitment to ensuring that the state meets its recruitment quota, describing military service as a noble and highly respected profession globally.
Hon. Okechukwu Edeh, Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), assured of stronger cooperation from the Local Government Council but urged the military high command to address any concerns from the public to enhance the appeal of military service for the youth.
Additionally, Hon. Arinze Ogbodo, the State Coordinator for Presidents-General of Enugu State Town Unions, Ambassador Lawrence Agubuzu, former Chairman of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, and Lieutenant Colonel Israel Mbah (rtd.), traditional ruler of Nomeh Unataeze, all encouraged youths to enlist in the Army while emphasising the need for increased awareness.
“I was a military man before. I survived every war. I did mine and today I am a traditional ruler. So, I believe that our young people should join the force,” Lt. Col. Mbah (Retd.) stated.
