Why many Igbo youths avoid joining the Army — IPOB Lawyer

Aloy Ejimakor, lawyer to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has said that many young people from the South-East do not join the Nigerian Army because they do not trust the military, not because they lack courage.

Ejimakor made the statement on Thursday while reacting to comments by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu.

The army chief had expressed concern over the low number of South-East youths joining the military during a passing-out parade at the Nigerian Army Recruits Training Depot in Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State.

According to Ejimakor, many Igbo youths feel excluded from the country’s security leadership and believe the military has often been used against people from the South-East during times of crisis.

He said the hesitation to join the armed forces is linked to what many see as long-standing marginalisation and a lack of trust in the institution.

Ejimakor referred to the killings of Igbos during the 1967 crisis in Northern Nigeria and said memories of such events remain painful. He also mentioned more recent incidents involving people suspected of having links to IPOB, including events in Nkpor, Aba, Obigbo and Port Harcourt.

He further argued that some South-East youths are uncomfortable with the government’s rehabilitation and reintegration of former Boko Haram fighters.

According to him, many are unwilling to serve in a military structure they do not trust alongside former insurgents.

Ejimakor said the low number of recruits from the region should be seen as a form of protest rather than a lack of patriotism.

He maintained that many young people from the South-East do not want to risk their lives under a command they believe does not treat them fairly.

The Army has repeatedly encouraged youths from the region to enlist, noting that South-East states often record some of the lowest recruitment figures in the country. Military authorities have said any recruitment slots not filled in the region are usually reassigned to other parts of Nigeria.

The Nigerian Army has also insisted that its recruitment process is transparent, fair and based on merit. Officials have blamed the low turnout partly on misinformation about military enlistment.