Army Moves To Increase Recruitment From Southeast As Otti Expresses Support
Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has pledged to support the Nigerian Army’s efforts to sensitise youths in the state for the 2025 recruitment exercise.
Governor Otti made the promise at Government House, Umuahia, on Wednesday while receiving the Year 2025 Nigerian Army Recruitment Awareness Team led by Brigadier General Chima Ekeator.
Represented by his chief of staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, Otti said the government would set up necessary structures to ensure those within the targeted age bracket are properly sensitised.
“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 that 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,” he said.
He added that the information would be passed to the catchment group and that sensitisation would become regular. He commended the Army for its professionalism and efforts to integrate the Southeast.
“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 Southeast is fully integrated into the Nigerian Army is the way to go,” he stated.
He noted that security is essential for development, saying, “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.”
Brigadier General Ekeator said the team was in the state to sensitise youths on the need to take up recruitment slots allocated to the Southeast. He noted that in the last exercise, Abia received nearly 200 slots, but only 53 were taken up, adding that the same trend was recorded in other Southeastern states.
He said the Army is working to change the narrative and has held town hall meetings with traditional rulers and mayors to ensure the message reaches the target audience.
THE WHISTLER reports that the Special Adviser to the Governor on Projects, Dr Chukwuemeka Meribole; Commander 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Brigadier General H.M. Bello; and Lieutenant Colonel R.O. Alieze were present during the visit.
Army Moves To Increase Recruitment From Southeast As Otti Expresses Support is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
