The Nigerian Army has said that the arrest of three fraudulent candidates in Lagos State reflects the transparency of its recruitment process. The authorities have pledged to prosecute those attempting to compromise this process.
Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, said this while addressing a viral video depicting the arrest of certain fraudulent candidates involved in the ongoing 86 Regular Recruits Intake. The candidates were caught attempting to deceive indigenous candidates of Lagos State through illegitimate means.
He said that the apprehension of these fraudulent candidates signifies the commitment of the Nigerian Army to maintain a transparent and credible recruitment process in line with its core values of integrity and fairness.
He said, “The video is a pointer to one of the processes to which the candidates were subjected, in order to ensure only true indigenes of a particular State are recruited, using the slots of that state and not non- indigenes.
“The video in itself therefore, clearly shows that the process is transparent, as the State Representative, who is a prominent member of the recruitment team has been part and parcel of the process and was given unhindered access to do her job by scrutinising the candidates’ State of origin, to ascertain the genuineness of their indigeneship claims”.
He clarified that the responsibility of the state representative involves identifying non-indigenes among candidates applying for recruitment, and this practice is consistent across other states of the federation.
“The fraudulent attempt by the three candidates to secure vacancies designated for Lagos State indigenes constitutes a severe breach of our recruitment process and will not be tolerated.”
“We assure the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the depth of these deceitful activities and to uncover any individuals or unscrupulous syndicates involved,” he affirmed.
The Nigerian Army remains steadfast in its commitment to selecting only the most qualified and deserving candidates for service. They will collaborate closely with relevant authorities to ensure accountability for those responsible for this misconduct.
“We wish to inform the general public that the fraudulent act perpetrated by the three candidates who attempted to secure vacancies designated for candidates with Lagos State indigeneship is a serious breach of our recruitment process and will not be condoned.
“We want to assure the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted to ascertain the extent of these fraudulent activities and to identify any individual(s) or unscrupulous syndicate(s) involved,” he said.
He reiterated that the Nigerian Army remains dedicated to ensuring that only the most qualified and deserving candidates are selected to serve.
Nwachukwu urged all potential candidates to uphold honesty and integrity throughout the recruitment process, saying that any attempt to manipulate the process will face legal consequences.
He said, “The culprits involved will be handed over to the appropriate prosecuting agency. The NA is committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that justice is served in this matter”.
He therefore urged all prospective candidates to adhere to the principles of honesty and integrity throughout the recruitment process, as any attempt to manipulate the recruitment process will be met with the full force of the law.
“The NA remains resolute in its mission to recruit the best and most deserving individuals to serve our nation. We appreciate the support and cooperation of the public, as we work to maintain the integrity of our recruitment process,” he said.
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