Counsel to the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, Aloy Ejimakor, has attributed the low enlistment of South-East youths into the Nigerian Army to deep-seated mistrust of the military rather than a lack of willingness to serve.
Ejimakor made the remarks in a post on X on Thursday while reacting to comments credited to the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, who reportedly expressed concern over the low turnout of recruits from the South-East during a passing-out parade at the Nigerian Army Recruits Training Depot in Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State.
According to him, many young people from the region are reluctant to join the armed forces because they believe the military has historically treated the Igbo unfairly.
“The reluctance of Igbo youths to enlist in the Nigerian armed forces is not a deficit of valour, but a calculated refusal to serve an institution they deeply mistrust,” Ejimakor said.
He further alleged that the security leadership structure in the country is ethnically imbalanced and claimed that military operations have repeatedly targeted Igbo communities during periods of unrest.
Ejimakor cited events dating back to 1967 as well as more recent incidents in places such as Nkpor, Aba, Obigbo and Port Harcourt, saying these developments have reinforced distrust among many people in the region.
He also argued that the integration of former Boko Haram fighters who underwent the military’s deradicalisation programme has further discouraged some South-East youths from seeking enlistment.
“To ask them to bleed under a biased command, alongside former terrorists, is a compromise of dignity they refuse to make,” he stated.
Describing the low recruitment figures as a form of silent protest rather than a lack of patriotism, Ejimakor maintained that the decision by many youths not to enlist reflects their concerns about fairness and confidence in the institution.
The Army has, however, repeatedly maintained that its recruitment process is transparent and based strictly on merit. Military authorities have also attributed the low application rate from the South-East to misinformation about enlistment, noting that unfilled recruitment slots from the region are often redistributed to applicants from other parts of the country.
