Army Recruitment: COAS Urges Rivers to Utilize State Quota
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has lamented the lack of interest from youths Rivers and other Niger Delta States to join the military.
Lagbaja who spoke in Port Harcourt during a sensitisation and advertisement tour to Rivers state on Tuesday for the it’s 88 Regular Recruitment Intake for Trades/Non Tradesmen and Women, encouraged youths of the state to utilize the state’s quota and join the army.
The Army Chief, said the lack of interest of the youths was shot-changing Rivers and other states in the region in terms of utilising their quotas allotted to them during recruitment.
The message of the Chief of Army Staff, was delivered by the Acting Director, Supply and Transport Services, Department of Army Logistics, Army Headquarters, Abuja, Brigadier General Wiito Nzidee, who led a delegation of senior army officers to the state.
He expressed dismay that some states in the South-East and South-South regions have in recent time consistently failed to meet their quotas in army recruitment exercises.
He said, “We are here (in Rivers State) to create that awareness to the state government and to the entire Rivers people that they are not utilizing their quota in the Army. Other states would utilize their quota.
“You can’t blame some of these young people, because they are not aware of it. That’s why we have come to create this awareness, imploring the best to join us as partners in progress and development of Rivers State and, of course, the entire Nigeria.”
The Army Chief also dismissed the notion that recruits need to have godfathers, or connections to be able to join the force, emphasising that Army recruitment process is unbiasedly focused on competence.
He explained that, “The registration is online now, the portal is open. They should go, click and register, and I can assure that anyone that is fit to be in the Army will be recruited.
“The notion that you need to know somebody before you come into the Army is a wrong notion. I am a Brigadier General today, and a son of the soil (Rivers State ) in the Nigerian Army, I did not know anybody.”
On his part, the Commander 6 Division Garrison Sector 3, Joint Task Force (South-South) Operation Delta Safe, Brigadier General Sani Ahmed, expressed worries that Rivers State failed to meet its quota in the last recruitment exercise.
He urged qualified youths in the state to take advantage of the current recruitment to acquire a professional career in the military.
Receiving the Army delegation to Rivers State, the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Dr Tammy Danagogo assured of the Rivers government’s commitment to the continuous sensitization of all military and para-military recruitment exercises, buttressing the desire of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to ensure the enlistment of citizens into the Army.
Danagogo however, encouraged qualified youths in the State to make use of the opportunity to join the Nigerian Military by registering on the website: https://recruitment.army.mil.ng before the end of the recruitment exercise on 8 November, 2024.
He said, “The Governor has mandated me to enlighten our people and ensure that at the local levels, the council chairmen and traditional rulers also sensitize their wards; and via the mass media. We will continue to carry out these duties for the good of our people.
“However, I notice some level of apathy as some of our young people are no longer eager to join the Nigerian Army. Although they complain about the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) enlistment process, we have brilliant young men and women who are fit and eager to join the NDA” he said.
He appealed with the Army Headquarters to also ensure same sensitization to the state during the NDA admission processes.
“Every parent should encourage their children to belong to an elite organization such as the Army. We will continue to encourage our young ones to join the Army,” he said.
