The Nigerian Army has expressed concern over the extremely low turnout of youths from the South-East region in its ongoing nationwide recruitment exercise, revealing that only 200 applicants have so far registered from the entire zone. This was made known by the Head of the Army Headquarters Recruitment Sensitisation Team in Anambra State, Brigadier General Chima Ekeator, during a strategic engagement with youth leaders and President-Generals of various communities across the state.
Speaking at the sensitisation forum, Brigadier General Ekeator lamented the region’s poor participation compared to other parts of the country, noting that some states have already recorded over 4,000 registered candidates. He urged stakeholders to intensify grassroots mobilisation efforts to ensure the South-East is not underrepresented in the national security architecture.
He emphasised that the ongoing recruitment presents an opportunity for the region to contribute meaningfully to the Nigerian Armed Forces and benefit from the associated career prospects. According to him, full representation in the military would only be achieved if the youths take advantage of the current recruitment window.
“This sensitisation is timely and essential. It is worrisome that only 200 youths have registered from the entire South-East, while other regions are witnessing massive interest. We are appealing to youth leaders and community President-Generals to return to their communities and sensitise young people on the importance of joining the Nigerian Army,” Ekeator stated.
He further explained that increased participation from the region would not only ensure fair representation but also enable the South-East to claim its rightful quota in national recruitment processes, in line with federal character principles.
In support of the Army’s call, the Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, pledged his administration’s commitment to raise awareness and encourage youths to participate actively in the exercise. Governor Soludo, who was represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Patrick Aghamba, urged traditional rulers and President-Generals to work together and mobilise at least 10 eligible youths from each community across the state to enrol in the recruitment.
Also speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr. Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne, reiterated that the recruitment specifically targets young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 22. He called on qualified youths to take advantage of the opportunity to build a disciplined career path in the military and serve their fatherland.
The Army’s sensitisation initiative in Anambra comes at a critical time when national security agencies are looking to strengthen personnel strength, particularly through balanced regional representation. Stakeholders are optimistic that with intensified awareness campaigns at the community level, more South-East youths will respond positively before the recruitment window closes.
