By Desire Emmanuel, with Agency Reports
The Nigerian Army on Tuesday, October 14, described as worrisome, the low number of applicants from the South-West and South East regions applying to join the army, urging the youths to change their mindset regarding the profession.
The Nigerian Army disclosed that while over 14,000 youths have applied to join the army from the North-West and 13,000 from the North-East, only 2,070 applied from South-West and 1,000 have shown interest from the South-East.
The Team Lead, Army Headquarters Recruitment team, Brigadier General. Adeleye Lawal, stated this on Tuesday in Ibadan Oyo State, during the Nigerian Army sensitisation on Army recruitment exercise, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.
Lawal said that about 2,070 applicants from the South-West region had so far applied since the opening of the portal for army recruitment on October 2, adding that Oyo State has the highest number of 544 applicants.
He said the Nigerian Army had noticed a decline in the number of applicants into the Nigerian Army from the South-West and South-East regions, which was too low when compared with the number from other regions of the country.
He said:: “About 14,000 applicants had so far applied from the North-West from the commencement of the exercise, 13,000 from North-East, 10,000 from North-Central and South-East had 1,000 applicants.
“Every state in Nigeria was allocated 180 slots each in the ongoing recruitment exercise. Any region that fails to fill its slot, the remaining would be allocated to other states.”
Lawal said that joining the military didn’t amount to signing one’s death warrant, saying people die in their houses and on the road while travelling.
“Death is part of life and we are not saying come and join the military and die. Many people have joined the military and succeed far more than expectations.
“The Army makes people the best they can be and increases their exposure. As a soldier in the military, you can become a doctor, pharmacist and even driver, if that is your wish,” he said.
Lawal, while disabusing the mind of the people on suffering in the Nigerian Army, said nothing comes easy in life, adding that the system has a way of paying back those who work tirelessly for the profession.
He appealed to those who have what it takes to apply to join the Army profession, assuring that the standard in the Nigerian Army would not be lower for anyone and would be merit based.
