The Lagos State Government has set a target to enlist 250 indigenes in the ongoing 90 Regular Recruits Intake (RRI) of the Nigerian Army. Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, disclosed this in Ikeja, urging local council chairmen to mobilise residents to participate in the recruitment exercise, which she described as a noble and honourable service to the nation.

“The local council chairmen are number one citizens of their councils and should be able to get indigenes, advocate and sensitise the people,” she said. “They should let our children know the importance of joining the military. Before now, Lagos has been shortchanged, not just by the Federal Government but by Lagosians themselves, because they did not see the military as a viable profession.”

Describing the armed forces as “a glorious job,” she appealed to parents to encourage their children to consider a career in the military. Salu-Hundeyin attributed the low enlistment of Lagos indigenes to societal preferences, noting that many families prioritise professions like law over the military. “We love enjoyment in Lagos State; people are happy for their child to read law but not join the military. Whereas, in the North, they understand that there can be no power without adequate security,” she said.

On the state’s recruitment goal, she explained: “We are targeting 250 Lagosians. If we don’t fulfil our quota, other states will poach into it. Our children are good enough for the job.”

She added that the government is also encouraging indigenes to apply to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Salu-Hundeyin urged parents to rethink their stance toward military careers, saying: “We don’t want our children in the military but we want protection; it’s impossible. We have to get our children into the military. The Nigerian Navy has written to us to give them 50 indigenes, and the councils will also provide theirs.”