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The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has promised to assist in sensitising Abia youths for recruitment into the Nigerian Army.
Otti stated this in Government House Umuahia on Wednesday, while receiving in the audience, a delegation of the Year 2025 Nigerian Army Recruitment Awareness Team, from Army headquarters, Abuja led by Brig. Gen. Chima Ekeator.
Otti’s position comes days after the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra called on Igbo youths to shun recruitment and rather opt for farming.
IPOB claimed that Igbo recruits are often sent into deadly conflict zones with Boko Haram in the North due to what it describes as “ethnic prejudice” within the Army.
However, Governor Otti, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, said the government would set up the necessary structures to make sure that Abia youths who fall within the Army recruitment age bracket are mobilised and sensitised.
He said, “We will help to make sure that Abians, especially the youths, will embrace this opportunity.
“We are going to set up the necessary structures to make sure that those who fall within the age bracket that is being targeted will also see the need to be part of the general progress, of the general vision of the Nigerian Army in order to make sure that there is adequate security in this nation.
“We will also pass the information to youths who are within the catchment group, being targeted for this exercise
“One thing we can assure you (the Nigerian Army) is that going forward, this sensitisation is going to become more regular”.
He commended the Nigerian Army for its interest in ensuring that the South-East is fully integrated into the Nigerian Army, saying that it was good that the institution had continued to interface with those at the local level, the mayors and the traditional institutions.
“I want to deeply appreciate you. We are quite impressed by the professionalism that the Nigerian Army has continued to display.
“Coming around at a time like this to make sure that the South-East is fully integrated into the Nigerian Army is the way to go,” Otti stated.
The governor noted the importance of security to the economic development of a nation.
“No matter what you invest, no matter the level of infrastructure that you provide, if there is no conducive environment, which is a by-product of very sound security, even the people would be scared to even come close and will not appreciate the level of infrastructure in this place,”
He equally appreciated the Nigerian Army for its sacrifice and commitment to making sure that every part of the country was carried along and maintained that everybody had a role to play to make sure that the goal of sensitising Abia youths in enlisting into the Nigerian Army was actualised.
Earlier, the team leader, Year 2025 Nigerian Army Recruitment Awareness Team, Brig. Gen. Chima Ekeator said they came to sensitise youths from the South-East on the need to take up the slots given to the South-East during the Nigerian Army recruitment.
He said that the leadership of the Nigerian Army had observed that the slots given to the southeastern states during recruitments are barely taken up by applicants from the region, hence they were sent to sensitise youths from the region on the need to take up the slots given to the South-East during the Nigerian Army recruitment.
Ekeator regretted that the region is losing out during recruitment exercises, citing a case of last year where Abia was given almost 200 slots but only 53 slots were taken up.
He added that it is the same case in other southeastern states. He said that the Nigerian Army was working to change the narrative.
While thanking the governor for the assistance given so far, he said they had gone around and held town hall meetings with traditional rulers and mayors to ensure the message reached the target audience.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Projects, Dr. Chukwuemeka Meribole, Commander 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Brig. Gen.H.M. Bello and Lt. Col. R.O. Alieze were present during the visit.
