South East Retains Quota As Youths Shun Army Recruitment

Despite the Nigerian Army’s periodic recruitment exercises aimed at strengthening the country’s security architecture, concerns over insecurity, the dangers of military service, welfare and career prospects may have influenced some young people’s decisions from the South east not to enlist.

Interviews with youths and community leaders provided insights into why some young people from the region appear reluctant to embrace military service, even as unemployment and the search for stable livelihoods remain major concerns among young people in the zone and country.

And while many youths in the zone appear uninterested, authorities in the Army insist that the region’s recruitment quota would stand to give every Nigerian the opportunity to serve.

The spokesman of the Nigerian Army Recruitment Centre, Captain Abubakar Hammanga, declined comment on the subject, when approached by our correspondent, but reliable sources within the Service said while South East youths had largely refused to apply for recruitment in the Army’s non-commissioned cadre, the zone had not left its quota for enlistment.

A community leader in Imo State, Chief Ndubuisi Ubaka, said youths in the zone appear to shun Army recruitment not out of laziness, but due to trust issues and fear of the unknown.

According to him, the youths are afraid of being taken to unfamiliar terrains and dumped.

A youth, Uwaoma Ekwe, said he was not comfortable joining the Army, as his relations who joined in the past had nothing to show for it.

According to him, the welfare are not attractive.

“I am not comfortable with the condition of some retired soldiers and would not want to fall into same category,” he said.

According to him, the belief is that if you join Army as an Igbo youth, you would be posted to Borno State to fight Boko Haram.

He also stressed that wearing the uniform along streets in the zone is a big risk as gunmen and sit-at-home enforcers were likely to react.

In Abia State, a community leader, His Highness, Eze John Ibezim, said he did not agree completely with the assertion that South East youths were shunning the Army.

‎He blamed the development on lack of involvement of traditional rulers who he said are closer to the people, and could help in mobilsing youths when recruitment exercise in on.

‎However, some of the youths said they declined joining the Army for fear of being “singled out” as Igbo and posted to areas of serious conflicts with terrorists and banditry in the North.

‎They said even at that they would not be guaranteed not being marginalised in promotion, posting, opportunities and training programmes.

‎”There is no guarantee that the Igbo man will be treated better in the Army, than he is being treated in the larger Nigerian society. I think we’re better hustling as civilians,” a youth said.

‎According to them, activities of the Army in the zone especially against IPOB members portrays soldiers as brutal, and an anti-Igbo organisation no sensible Igbo man should be identified with.

‎They indicated preference for the Navy and the Air Force or the paramilitary such as Immigration Service, Correctional Service, Customs, Civil Defence Corps.

Chubuike Ayogu when interviewed, said fear, family pressure, remuneration or other career opportunities influenced his decision.

A community leader from Nsukka, Mr Ugo Chukwu, said killing of security personal by unknown gunmen in the Southeast might have informed the decision of people to shun army recruitment.