Worried by the state of insecurity in Nigeria, the office of Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika has begun a massive recruitment of 9,000 officers to help in the country’s fight against insecurity.
Speaking at the opening of a five-day seminar with the theme Consolidating Civil Society Organisations/Military Relations for Improved National Security, organised by the army’s Department of Civil-Military Affairs at the 2 Division, Odogbo, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Monday, Ihejirika, represented by Major General John Ewansiha, revealed that he had commenced the “recruitment of 9,000 persons in our various training institutions.
He said: “As we all know, the civil society organisations stand for the defence of human rights everywhere as well as in crisis situations. The Military aims at defeating insurgents as well as protecting law-abiding citizens,” adding that currently, the Army is battling serious domestic challenges.
Ihejirika said he was optimistic that at the end of the seminar, participants would understand how best to keep working harmoniously with civil society organisations to further boost the confidence of Nigerians in the Army, as the Army would remain unrelenting in training its officials to meet the country’s security challenges.
Also speaking at the event, Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi said the modus operandi of the Military is force, obedience to order and immediacy of that obedience, but added that in dealing with the people, there should be a high level of civility.
“The modus operandi of the civil public is persuasion and constant engagement, which takes time,” he emphasised, saying that the Army should always focus on the goal of strengthening democracy in their actions.
He recalled that since Independence, the Military has fought wars toward the sustenance of Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; and in the process, it has lost thousands of its men who are martyrs of the peace and nationhood enjoyed today. He said that as a result of thus, the country cannot but support the Military in its quest to protect the nation and her territorial borders.
