The Army Headquarters say it has embarked on mass recruitment of personnel into its Special Forces Concept Training nationwide.
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The Director, Directorate of Army Recruitment, Resettlement and Reserve, Brig.,-Gen Emmanuel Akpan, made this known on Friday, saying it was in line with global best practices to reinvigorate the force.
He spoke in Ado Ekiti at an advocacy visit to Gov. Kayode Fayemi.
Akpan said the sensitisation and enlightenment tour would take him to all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
He said the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai, had directed that the Special Forces concept be integrated in all Nigerian Army training institutions.
The exercise, he added, had already commenced and would end on April 29.
He said the nationwide tour had become imperative to enable states fill their quotas
” This new approach to training implies that all new recruits must undergo special forces training
” The current approach, apart from ensuring that all Nigerian Army personnel can adopt and function seamlessly in any operating environment, is also expected to imbue in personnel special skills that enable them win battles,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the army chief, who later met with a group of youths at the Government House, educated them on the pride in serving their country.
He urged them to get the information across to their mates and colleagues by enlisting in the army, saying a fulfilling career awaited them.
Akpan assured them that it was an opportunity that required no god-father’s help to be recruited.
” I can assure you that contrary to insinuation and rumours, you do not need a godfather to join the Nigerian Army
” It is your army, it is our army, every able bodied Nigerian without criminal record is free to join so that they can serve without having to know anybody as a precondition.
” Whoever is taken must have been taken on the basis of fulfilling all normal requirements,” he said.
Earlier in his address of welcome, Fayemi, who was represented by his deputy, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, thanked the army chief for the visit.
He pledged the state government’s commitment to encouraging all willing youths to participate in the recruitment exercise.
The governor also advocated adequate supply of sophisticated weapons for the army to enable it confront all security challenges in the country.