ENUGU, Nigeria – The Nigerian Army has expressed concern over the low enlistment rates of youths from the South-East region into military service.
Speaking at a town hall meeting in Enugu on Saturday, April 12, 2025, Chima Ekeator, the leader of the 2025 army recruitment enlightenment team, highlighted that the South-East is “gradually losing out on what is rightfully theirs” due to the poor participation in the army recruitment process.
Ekeator revealed that for the current year’s recruitment drive, Enugu state was allocated 200 slots, but only about 100 applications were received.
He stressed that this issue has become a recurring challenge, with the number of applicants from the South-East consistently falling short when compared to other regions of the country.
“Our people are losing what rightly belongs to them,” Ekeator lamented.
“Each year, whenever a slot is being allocated to our people, we keep noticing that the number of applicants from our side is usually very poor.”
He pointed out that other states, such as Kaduna, had seen an overwhelming response, with over 3,000 applicants in the ongoing recruitment process.
In contrast, Enugu was struggling to meet its quota, raising concerns that the state may not have enough candidates to fill its allocated positions.
Ekeator urged South-East youths to seize the opportunity and apply in greater numbers, stressing the importance of filling the slots to ensure the region does not continue to miss out on this vital avenue for military service.
The recruitment leader also addressed some misconceptions about the treatment of South-Easterners in the Nigerian Army, refuting claims that the region’s youths were deliberately sent to the battlefront to face higher risks.
“There are a lot of falsehoods out there stating that the Igbo are being killed because they are the first to be sent to the battlefield. These things are not true,” Ekeator said, adding that South-Easterners currently hold significant positions within the military.
He cited the example of Chibueze Ogbuabor, a top commander in the Army who oversees equipment management, to highlight the representation of South-Easterners in strategic positions within the force.
