The Senator representing Anambra South, Emma Nwachukwu, has warned that continued reluctance by Igbo youths to enlist in the Nigerian Armed Forces could leave the South-East with little or no military officers of Igbo extraction in the coming years.

Nwachukwu, who spoke while briefing his constituents at his country home in Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, said stakeholders were making efforts to encourage Igbo youths to take advantage of recruitment opportunities in the military and other security agencies.

He urged the media to help sensitise young people in the region to the need to enlist and ensure adequate representation in the security services.

“You know that there are recruitments in the armed forces and the police, but unfortunately, our youths are not keen on working in the armed forces. The media should encourage our young people to please apply for these positions,” he said.

The senator said his interactions with some youths revealed that fear of deployment to areas affected by Boko Haram insurgency was one of the reasons they were reluctant to join the military.

“During interactions, I found out that our youths are afraid of joining the military because they are afraid of being posted to the Boko Haram areas,” he said.

He warned that the consequences could be far-reaching if the trend continued.

“But the calamity of such decision is that in a few years’ time, we won’t have officers of Igbo extraction in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, and when that happens, we will be shouting of marginalisation,” Nwachukwu said.

He urged community leaders and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to persuade Igbo youths to apply for available positions in the security services.

“This is the time to reach out to our young people and encourage them to take advantage of those openings in the security forces so that we will be fully represented,” he said.

The senator added that stakeholders had been using social media platforms to spread the message but believed that the mainstream media could help reach more young people.

APGA targets 44 seats in 2027

On the 2027 general elections, Nwachukwu expressed confidence that the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State would win all 44 legislative seats it intends to contest.

He said the party planned to field candidates for the three senatorial seats, 11 House of Representatives seats and 30 State House of Assembly seats.

“We are presenting candidates for the three senatorial seats, 11 House of Representatives seats and 30 House of Assembly seats, and our party is determined to win all the seats,” he said.

Nwachukwu said the party had been holding strategic meetings and putting plans in place to improve on its performance in previous elections.

He attributed APGA’s confidence to what he described as the achievements of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, saying the governor’s performance had strengthened the party’s support among the people of the state.

“With the wonderful work Governor Chukwuma Soludo has done in the state, APGA has further been entrenched in the minds of Anambra people,” he said.

He expressed optimism that the governor, the party’s national chairman and other leaders would reap the benefits of their efforts at the polls scheduled for January 16.

Seeks another term

The senator said that, within his time in the Senate, he had established a cordial relationship between federal lawmakers from Anambra and the state government.

He also said he had helped secure employment for many youths from Anambra South but acknowledged that more needed to be done to provide stable jobs and enable young people to build meaningful careers in the civil service.

Nwachukwu appealed to his constituents to give him another opportunity to serve, saying continuity would enable him to complete projects and initiatives he had started.

“Continuity is an opportunity for one to complete what he has started, and I plead with Anambra South constituents to give me the opportunity to serve them more and build a stronger and more prosperous Anambra State,” he said. (Vanguard)