The Youth Wing of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union has condemned the arrest of four youths originally from Kaduna residing in Lagos State seeking enlistment into the Nigerian Army.

The union’s National Coordinator, Isaac John, in a statement on Friday, said the constitution defines Nigerian citizenship, and the Nigerian Military outlines specific requirements and eligibility criteria for enlistment, none of which pertains to linguistic or tribal considerations, such as the ability to speak Yoruba.

The PUNCH reports that the Lagos State Government called for the arrest and trial of six northern candidates participating in the Nigerian Army recruitment process who claimed to be indigenes of the state.

A viral video surfaced earlier on Wednesday showing six candidates in the recruitment process, who hailed from Kaduna State, claiming Kosofe Local Government Area, Lagos Island Local Government Area, and Oshodi Isolo Local Government Area, respectively, as their local governments of origin.

By claiming to be from Lagos, the candidates intended to secure the slots designated to Lagos State indigenes.

The video sparked reactions from indigenes of Lagos, with many saying that Lagosians are being short-changed in the recruitment process.

Reacting, SOKAPU said, “It is with great concern that the Southern Kaduna Youths have observed a distressing video featuring four youths originally from Kaduna State, currently residing in Lagos. These individuals, earnestly seeking enlistment in the Nigerian Army, faced unwarranted humiliation, denial, and even arrest during the state screening process as of the time of composing this statement.

“The reasons, as portrayed in the video, revolve around their inability to speak the Yoruba language and their non-citizenship status in Lagos, notwithstanding their longstanding domicile in the state.”

John noted that the Kaduna State Government boasts a significant number of Yoruba individuals in its civil service, some holding esteemed political appointments.

” In the light of these events, we respectfully urge the Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Defence Staff to investigate this matter promptly and urgently.

“We appeal for the immediate release of these young men and their fair participation in the enlistment exercise, aligning with the principles afforded to every Nigerian citizen, as the unity of our nation transcends ethnic considerations.

“Furthermore, we implore the Kaduna State Government to establish a committee to thoroughly examine this matter, to prevent any recurrence,” the group added.

The Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, has revealed that 50% of the pupil population in the state can neither read in English nor solve simple mathematics questions.

He stated that the shortcoming was discovered in its Baseline Assessment of primary schools in the state, conducted in November 2023.

Onyia said this while giving his keynote address titled, “Smart Basic Education and the Future of Africa” at the quadrennial convention of the Old Boys Association of Union Secondary School, Awkunanaw, on Thursday in Enugu.

“Our findings were shocking. After six years of primary school, 50 per cent of our children cannot read a single word in English and those who can read struggle with comprehension.

“50% of our children cannot solve simple subtraction challenges. What we found out in Enugu State is written large across our nation,” he said.

The state scribe, however, disclosed that the Governor Peter Mbah administration had made deliberate efforts to reform the education system of the state to meet the changing global demands.

He further revealed that the state government education policy has been repositioned to integrate innovative technologies into education, particularly at the basic education level, with the goal that it would drive industrial growth.

The PUNCH reports that Governor Mbah said his administration will spend 30 percent of the state’s 2024 budget on the educational sector.

He added that he was determined to ensure that the poorest child in the remotest parts of the state would receive quality education. (The PUNCH)

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