On Wednesday, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu raised concerns about Lagos residents’ low participation in military recruitment.
Speaking at a quarterly meeting with the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Ikeja on Wednesday, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, Secretary to the State Government, lamented that the state is underrepresented in Nigeria’s military.
Salu-Hundeyin pointed out that only a small number of individuals from Lagos apply to join the military, which she emphasized is a crucial part of ensuring national security.
She expressed concern that local youths are missing out on the opportunity to serve, particularly during the most recent recruitment drive.
“The military is about the security of a nation, and the security of any nation must be everybody’s business,” Salu-Hundeyin stated.
She highlighted that the Federal Government has mandated an equal distribution of military recruitment slots across the states, with 150 positions allocated to each.
She added, “We discovered that in the military in Nigeria, Lagos State has been seriously short-changed.
We hardly have people there. So, we are looking at this opportunity now, that it should not escape indigenes again.”
Salu-Hundeyin stressed that serving in the military is not just for a particular group but should involve citizens from all states, noting that low participation would mean Lagos is not fully contributing to the nation’s defence efforts.
She encouraged more local youths to see the value in joining the armed forces and contributing to the security and stability of both the state and the country.
“If your state does not participate, you are short-changing your state,” she warned, urging residents to consider the important role they can play in national security by joining the military.
