By SULEIMAN SHEHU

The Nigerian Army has described as worrisome the low number of applicants from the South-West region applying to join the Army, urging people of the region to change their mindsets and apply for the profession.

The Team Lead, Army Headquarters Recruitment team, Brig.-Gen. Adeleye Lawal, stated this on Tuesday in Ibadan during the Nigerian Army sensitization on Army recruitment exercise.

Lawal said that about 2,070 applicants from South-West region had so far applied since the opening of the portal for army recruitment on Oct. 2 adding that Oyo State was having the highest number of 544 applicants.

He said the Nigerian Army had noticed a decline in the number of applicants into the Nigerian Army from South West region, which was too low when compared with the number from other regions of the country.

According to him, about 14,000 applicants had so far applied from the North-West from the commencement of the exercise, 13,000 from North-East, 10,000 from North-Central and South-East had 1,000 applicants.

He said that every state in Nigeria was allocated 180 slots each in the ongoing Army recruitment exercise, emphasizing that any region that failed to fill its slot, the remaining would be allocated to other states.

Lawal said that joining the military didn’t amount to signing one’s death warrant, saying people die in their houses and on the road while travelling.

“Death is part of life and we are not saying come and join the military and die. Many people have joined the military and succeed far more than expectations.

“The Army make people the best they can be and increase their exposures. As a Soldier in the military you can become a doctor, pharmacy and even driver, if that is your wish,” he said.

Lawal, while disabusing the mind of the people on suffering in the Nigerian Army, said nothing comes easy in life, adding that the system has a way of paying back those who work tirelessly for the profession.

He appealed to those who have what it takes to apply to join the Army profession, assuring that the standard in the Nigerian Army would not be lower for anyone and would be merit based.

Lawal urged those applying for the profession to ensure they are Nigerians, don’t have any criminal records, and were physically and medically fit among others.

Also speaking, the Executive Assistant to Gov. Seyi Makinde on Security Matters, retired Commissioner of Police, Sunday Odukoya, urged the people of Oyo State to apply to join the Nigerian Army in order not to waste the slot of the state.

Odukoya urged the people to change their orientation about the military and disseminate the message to the youths on the reason they should join the military. (NAN)