“Only 53 Abia youths applied for 200 Army recruitment slots” – Army recruitment team
The leadership of the Nigerian Army has raised concerns over the low uptake of recruitment slots allocated to the Southeastern states, with Brigadier General Chima Ekeator, head of the Year 2025 Nigerian Army Recruitment Awareness Team, highlighting the situation during a recent visit to Abia State.
Ekeator, who visited Governor Alex Otti in Umuahia on Wednesday, stated that the Army had observed that youths in the South East were not fully utilizing the recruitment slots available to them.
He emphasized the need for increased awareness, noting that Abia had been allocated nearly 200 recruitment slots last year, but only 53 applicants from the state had come forward.
The trend, according to Ekeator, was not limited to Abia alone but was also evident in other Southeastern states, where many of the available slots remained unfilled.
In response to this issue, the Nigerian Army had dispatched teams to the region, organizing town hall meetings with traditional rulers and mayors to spread awareness and encourage youths to take advantage of the recruitment opportunities.
Governor Otti, represented by his Chief of Staff, Caleb Ajagba, acknowledged the situation and pledged to intensify efforts to encourage Abia’s youth to engage with the recruitment process.
He assured the team that his administration would establish the necessary structures to regularly inform and sensitize young people within the required age range about upcoming Army recruitment drives.
“We will ensure that Abians, especially the youths, fully embrace this opportunity,” Governor Otti said.
He also took the opportunity to commend the Nigerian Army for providing security in parts of the country, displaying professionalism on duty and for ensuring that every part of Nigeria was carried along in its recruitment.
