Leave Igbo Youths alone, recruit others – Ohanaeze warns Army
Ohanaeze ndigbo youth council has reacted to the report of the Nigerian Army to recruit young Nigerians to fight insurgency in the North East.
According to a statement signed by OYC President-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Secretary-General, Okwu Nnabuike, Ohanaeze ndigbo has warned the Nigerian army to exclude Igbo youths from their recruitment process.
OYC said that if the Army was only recruiting Nigerian youths for the purpose of fighting the Boko Haram insurgents, such recruitment should be reserved only for Northern youths as Igbo youths were not comfortable with such.
The Igbo youth organization said it is suspicious of such “obnoxious recruitment” in the South East, rather than in the North – the epicenter of the insurgency or South West.
“such recruitment is a death verdict for any intending youth waiting to be recruited solely to fight insurgents in Northeast insurgents, insisting that Operations Shege Ka Fassa, the Civilian JTF, the repented Boko Haram insurgents, Meyatti Allah and Arewa youths should be instead, recruited massively to fight the insurgents.”
The apex Igbo organization advised Igbo youths to be engaged in community policing or regional arrangements, adding that “there are various recruitment exercises going on in various states in the South East regards to engaging youths to tackle insecurity challenges in the South East.”
OYC warned Igbo youths not to ignorantly or under pressure, sacrifice their lives for the North East, adding that “Igbo youths will never be used as sacrificial lambs for the North East as Nigeria is descending into regional security directions.”
