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By Lizzy Chirkpi
A wave of discontent has swept across the South East region of Nigeria as youths vehemently reject appeals to enlist in the Nigerian Army, accusing President Bola Tinubu administration of bias and marginalisation in federal appointments.
The rejection follows a viral video depicting a Nigerian Army delegation in Enugu pleading with Igbo youths to join the military, stating that the eapplication forms were being offered free of charge.
Brigadier-General Chima Ekeator, leader of the 2025 Army Recruitment Enlightenment Team, expressed concern during a town hall meeting with local government chairmen, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders. He lamented the consistently low enlistment numbers from the South East, highlighting a stark contrast with other regions.
“Enugu State was given about 200 slots, but the people who made it were never up to 100 due to poor application.
“This has also become a recurring decimal in other states in the South East. While Kaduna State already has 3000 people who enlisted to join the Army, it’s very sad Enugu State is struggling to get 100 persons to register to join the Army. Application Is Free!” he stated.
However, the military’s appeal has been met with strong resistance from South East youths who allege a pattern of discriminatory appointments. They claim that while individuals from the Yoruba-speaking region are frequently appointed to lucrative positions in agencies like the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Nigeria Customs Service, and Immigration, youths from the South East are relegated to less desirable roles.
Social media platforms have become a battleground for these grievances. As some youths with these X (formerly Twitter) handles expressed their anger: @euchariaogonna expressed the sentiment, “Why join the army when we deserve NNPC, Customs, NIMASA like everyone else? We’re not allergic to uniforms just tired of being offered only the bulletproof kind.”
Another user, @willofgodd, highlighted the perceived disparity in recruitment practices, stating, “NIGERIAN YOUTHS DON DEY WISE. When there are vacancies in NNPC, CBN, DPR, FIRS, NIMASA, IMMIGRATION, CUSTOM, JUDICIARY, the govt won’t advertise it because it’s reserved for politicans’ and elites’ children BUT they advertise recruitment into the army because it’s for the poor.”
Further fueling the discontent, @soprialaMembere on X (formerly Twitter) argued that even during the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner, the South South and South East regions received more “meaningful appointments” than they do under the current administration. “CBN, NIMASA, NSIA, Budget office… just to mention a few,” he cited.
The rejection of the army recruitment drive underscores the growing frustration among South East youths, who feel marginalized and overlooked in federal appointments. The situation poses a significant challenge for the government, which must address these concerns to foster national unity and inclusivity.