A viral message claiming that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, said “If Nigerian youths refuse to join the army, we will make it mandatory for everybody from the age of 18 and above to join. The 10,000 we recruited last year are nowhere to be found” is false and should be disregarded by the public.
At no point did the COAS issue such a statement, and there is no plan for compulsory military service in Nigeria.
The authentic statement made by Lt Gen. Shaibu was during his operational visit to 1 Division of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna, where he announced the recruitment and training of 24,000 new soldiers to boost the Army’s operational strength nationwide.
During the visit, Lt Gen. Shaibu addressed officers and explained that the Nigerian Army is expanding its training capacity to meet current security demands.
He said: The area of responsibility is vast and security challenges are dynamic. To meet these threats effectively, we need boots on the ground. In six months, we aim to train 12,000 soldiers from three new training facilities. If we operate two streams, we can produce up to 24,000 soldiers ready for deployment.”
The COAS also clarified that the new training facilities approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were established to ensure recruits receive advanced training in modern warfare, tactical operations, and weapon handling.
The Army’s focus, according to him, is on enhancing quality, professionalism, and operational readiness, not forcing citizens into service.
Lt Gen. Shaibu further reiterated the Army’s commitment to the “Soldier First” concept, with improved welfare for both new and serving personnel, urging officers to mentor incoming recruits to maintain discipline and core military values.
The recruitment drive is aimed at strengthening manpower for nationwide operations, improving rapid response to threats, and enhancing protection of civilians and critical infrastructure.
Attached are video and story link quoting exactly what the COAS said.
Please kindly ignore the fabricated quote and rely on verified information from credible sources.
Source: Zagazola
