THE NIGERIAN ARMY’S STATEMENT AND THE QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE ANSWERED

 

    BY ANGEL MIKE ( P. MICHAEL). 

I read with deep concern the recent statement allegedly attributed to the Nigerian Army, suggesting that if Nigerians are unwilling to join the force voluntarily, they would be compelled to do so. That statement alone raises fundamental questions about leadership, integrity, fairness, and national trust.

For many of us, this is the same military institution we once aspired to join. Yet the door was deliberately shut against thousands of young Nigerians, particularly from the South. Recruitment became a fortress—

where you were told point-blank that unless you had the signature of two generals, a senator, or even a governor, you stood no chance.

Where merit was replaced by man-know-man politics.

Where Nigerians were humiliated, discouraged, and ultimately denied an opportunity to serve their own country.

Meanwhile, the same system opened the gates wide in some Northern states, making recruitment not only easier but suspiciously unrestricted. There were repeated reports of individuals—some with questionable backgrounds—being absorbed and pampered instead of being properly screened, investigated, or prosecuted. When those who once terrorized the nation are treated with tenderness while patriotic citizens are turned away, you cannot blame Nigerians for asking hard questions.

So what exactly has changed now?

Why is the same Army that frustrated willing applicants suddenly desperate to “force” people into the system?

Is it because the institution has been compromised to the point where certain interests want to swell the ranks for their own agenda?

Is it because Nigerians have lost trust in a system where a commander can allegedly instruct you to “stand still” while enemies advance?

Or is the goal to conscript citizens into a structure many now fear has been infiltrated, politicized, and disconnected from national reality?

Today, we hear that those who applied for Immigration or other paramilitary agencies may be “converted” to the Army mandatorily.

This is not only undemocratic—it is unconstitutional and deeply insensitive to the fears of the same citizens the Army is meant to protect.

This statement must be condemned in clear terms.

A military that failed to recruit fairly cannot wake up and threaten forced service.

A military that has not cleansed itself of internal corruption, bias, tribal partiality, and compromised recruitment procedures has no moral right to impose itself on the same Nigerians it once rejected.

If the Nigerian Army truly wants Nigerians to join, here are the REAL solutions:

1. Reform the recruitment system.

Make it transparent, merit-based, and regionally balanced. Let every Nigerian have an equal chance without political godfathers.

2. Conduct full internal cleansing.

Remove compromised officers, tribal loyalists, and those suspected of aiding insecurity. Restore public confidence from within.

3. Strengthen screening and intelligence.

No more pampering of “repentant” terrorists. National security is not a rehabilitation centre.

4. Engage in reorientation and trust-building.

Nigerians must see the Army as their army, not the instrument of a particular ethnic group or political class.

5. Improve welfare, training, and working conditions.

Soldiers fight better when they are respected, protected, and properly equipped.

6. Communicate responsibly.

Threatening citizens is the fastest way to widen the gap between civilians and the military. Leadership must speak with wisdom, not intimidation.

Conclusion

If the Nigerian Army wants more citizens to enlist, the solution is simple:

Fix the system first. Clean the rot. Restore fairness. Rebuild trust.

Nigerians are willing to serve—but they refuse to be oppressed, coerced, or treated as expendable tools in a compromised system.

Until then, no amount of threats or force can correct what corruption, injustice, and favoritism have already damaged from within.

_Comrade  Michael (Angel Mike), is a social activist, theologian, policy political/political analyst, and blogger from Edo State_