While thousands are registering for the ongoing army recruitment exercise in other regions, only 200 applicants have come forward from the South-East.
The Army has appealed to Igbo youths to seize the opportunity and fill their allotted quota.
Speaking during a sensitisation tour in Anambra, Brigadier-General Chima Ekeator, leader of the Army Force Headquarters Recruitment Sensitisation Team, expressed concern over the poor turnout.
“According to records, only 200 persons have registered from the South-East, whereas other states have not less than 4,000 registrants,” he said.
The underwhelming response has been attributed to lingering historical wounds and a pervasive sense of exclusion felt by many in the region.
Prominent Igbo figures say the disinterest isn’t new—and certainly not surprising. Chief Chekwas Okorie, founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said the root cause dates back to the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War.
“It’s unfortunate people are noticing this now. The disinterest in joining federal institutions, including the Army and Police, began shortly after the Biafran war,” Okorie explained.
According to him, Igbo applicants were systematically sidelined or asked to pay exorbitant bribes during recruitment processes—tactics that discouraged many and cemented a belief that federal jobs weren’t meant for them.
“Over time, Ndigbo turned to other avenues for employment, steering clear of military or police careers. So, the low turnout doesn’t surprise me.”
To change the narrative, Okorie urged the federal government to take deliberate steps toward rebuilding trust.
“If the government truly wants Igbo youths to claim their quota, they must offer clear assurances of fairness and equal opportunity. There’s a need for consistent and sincere engagement.”
Similarly, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, former president of the Igbo socio-cultural group Aka Ikenga, highlighted how the armed forces have lost credibility in the eyes of many Igbo youths.
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“Today, young people in the South-East fear the Army and Police more than they fear criminal gangs,” Uwazurike remarked.
“They don’t see the military as a noble institution worth risking their lives for.”
He argued that unless the military regains public trust and proves it exists to protect—not intimidate—the people, enlistment from the region will remain low.
“Interestingly, many Igbo youths have no hesitation joining the armed forces of countries like the U.S., U.K., or even Ukraine. Military service must be seen as a respected and professional career, not a desperate fallback option.”
Uwazurike concluded that for true national unity, the military must evolve into a symbol of national pride and inclusion.
