Army Chief laments low enlistment from South-East region
SKAiF NewsNG SNN
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on Wednesday, expressed concern over the persistently low enlistment of youths from the South-East geopolitical zone into the Nigerian Army.
Lt. Gen. Shaibu made this known during the passing-out parade of the pioneer batch of 90 regular recruits at the Nigerian Army Recruit Training Depot, Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State.
He noted that the recruitment quota allocated to the South-East had remained largely unfilled for several years, describing the trend as unacceptable.
The Army Chief, however, appealed to 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.
According to him, military service is not merely a career but an honourable calling that embodies patriotism, leadership and national service.
He said: “We ask for your continued support because military service is very demanding. Please stand by 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 defence of our fatherland.
“For some time now, the recruitment quota allocated to this zone has not been fully utilised. This should not continue. Military service is not just a career but an honourable endeavour of patriotism, leadership and national contribution.
“I therefore urge community leaders, parents, guardians and elders across the South-East to encourage our young men and women to regard this depot as their own and step forward to serve the nation.”
The COAS further stated that the Amasiri-Edda Recruit Training Depot, established on November 25, 2025, is the third recruit training depot of the Nigerian Army and the first primary military training institution in the South-East geopolitical zone.
He said the establishment of the depot reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to promoting national integration, inclusiveness and balanced development across the country.
Shaibu described the graduation of the pioneer recruits as a major milestone in the ongoing transformation of the Nigerian Army.
He explained that the 90 soldiers formed part of the first batch of 14,000 recruits approved under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Strategic Force Expansion Initiative aimed at strengthening the Army’s manpower and enhancing its operational capability to combat terrorism, insurgency, banditry, separatist violence and other emerging security threats.
He said: “These recruits passing out today are part of the first batch of 14,000 recruits that will eventually make up the 28,000 recruits approved by Mr President under his Strategic Force Expansion Initiative.
“On this note, I wish to express my profound appreciation to His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for providing the strategic direction for the establishment of this Recruit Training Depot as part of efforts to expand the Nigerian Army’s manpower base and for approving the resources required for its successful take-off.”
Addressing the newly graduated recruits, the Army Chief charged them to adhere strictly to the Nigerian Army’s social media policy and uphold human rights standards during military operations.
He warned that the growing trend of indiscriminate use of social media by military personnel poses serious operational and institutional risks.
“A growing trend of indiscretion on social media has had serious consequences for our personnel.
“The unauthorised posting of operational information, images of military activities, sensitive locations, as well as the dissemination of unverified and misleading content, constitutes a serious breach of extant military regulations.
“Let me be clear: violations of the Nigerian Army’s social media policy can and will attract disciplinary measures, including dismissal from service where necessary.
“The implications of such misconduct are far-reaching. For the individual soldier, it represents the loss of career, honour and livelihood. For the Nigerian Army, it undermines discipline, operational security, morale and institutional credibility,” he said.
Earlier, a total of 3,011 recruits commenced the training programme, while 2,989 successfully completed the rigorous military training and passed out.
