Press Release by OTU OKA-IWU ABUJA
The South-East faces unprecedented security challenges, including rising kidnappings, violent attacks on communities and armed invasions by unknown gunmen and armed Fulani herdsmen leading to killings, rapes, and destruction of farmland. Despite these threats, the recent revelation by the Nigerian Army of low recruitment interest from the Southeast, where only about 5% of citizens from the region applied for enlistment compared to other zones is both alarming and unsurprising.
Otu Oka-Iwu Abuja commends the Nigerian Army for acknowledging this deficit and initiating efforts to address the issue, but assert that these measures are insufficient to tackle the deeper, systemic issues of decades long social exclusion of Southeast in Nigeria’s military and paramilitary services. The reluctance of Southeast youths to enlist in the army is rooted in historical and systemic factors. Distrust towards the Nigerian Army, stemming from historical tensions dating back to the Nigerian Civil War, has made military service less appealing to Igbo youths. More significantly, widespread complaints of lopsided promotions, unfavourable transfers, placements, and other discriminatory practices within the military serve as major deterrents. Also, when political or hierarchical structures are weaponized to favour certain individuals over merit, the system becomes unappealing to those who value fairness and equity.
Furthermore, there is the disruptions caused by the militarization of the Southeast. The prevalence of military checkpoints and the frequent violation of citizens’ rights by military officers in the region do little to inspire confidence or interest in joining the Nigerian Army. The soldiers stationed in the Southeast are the first point of contact for the youths, and their actions such as mass raids, destruction of property, and extrajudicial killings in response to attacks, have severely tarnished the image of the Nigerian Army in the zone.
The Southeast has been underrepresented in military and paramilitary organizations, limiting its influence in national security policymaking and its ability to shape recruitment processes as other zones do and this low participation reduces its ability to advocate for regional security improvements, making it vulnerable. These challenges, though longstanding, has only recently gained public attention with the recent appointment of Sylvester N. Nwakuche, MFR, MNI, as Comptroller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, surprising many observers, given the common practice of appointing Southeast candidates to acting capacities only to retire them prematurely in favour of preferred individuals. The military and other paramilitary organizations must emulate this gesture and take proactive measures that will address decades of institutionalized exclusionary practices against interested persons from the Southeast and other vulnerable ethics.
Efforts must be deliberate and targeted and complimented by the Southeast Governors who must take deliberate steps to support the efforts of the Nigerian Army and to reach out to other services for similar engagements. Unfortunately, security summits in the Southeast have been sporadic and failing to establish long term security plans. The last major summit was in Owerri, Imo State, in April 2021. Since then, no substantial policy shifts have emerged to counter worsening insecurity. The Southeast Governors must prioritize security summits, ensuring consistent policy discussions and implementations rather than one-time meetings with no follow-ups.
In the past, it has been common for the Southeast Governors to provide vehicles and other basic equipment to security agencies as a means of supporting law enforcement efforts. While this gesture may have been effective in addressing traditional security challenges, it is increasingly outdated and insufficient in the face of modern crime techniques and the evolving nature of security threats. The era of simply donating vehicles and equipment to security agencies must give way to a comprehensive, technology driven approach to security. The Southeast Governors must recognize that modern threats require modern solutions, and investments must reflect the realities of today’s security landscape and must therefore, take it upon themselves to host security summits consistently, ensuring proactive policy implementation as well as fund local security outfits like “Ebube Agu” which was established to tackle rising insecurity. However, its poor implementation and operational challenges have rendered it largely ineffective, unlike its Southwest counterpart, “Amotekun”, which has achieved significant success in crime prevention and regional security.
The cliche, “security is everybody’s business” has being demonstrated in the Northeast, where some Borno and Yobe communities have successfully repelled Boko Haram attacks, using local resistance forces and structured security networks in conjunction with security agencies. However, similar groups in the Southeast are often labelled and silenced, leaving their communities vulnerable, this must stop. Otu Oka-Iwu Abuja strongly advocates that adopting the Northeast approach will aligns with the recommendations that communities should not fully rely on the government for security and the approach could provide security agencies with opportunities to identify individuals for recruitment into the services.
Nigeria, particularly the Southeast, stands at a critical security juncture and with increasing attacks, the region must not remain passive. The need for a unified and consolidated front against insecurity cannot be overstated. With increasing attacks disrupting the zone’s socioeconomic activities, the Nigerian Army’s efforts must be complemented by broader elimination of social exclusion practices in military and paramilitary organizations against Southeast. Military enlistment must be encouraged by all stakeholders, local defence initiatives must be strengthened, and the Southeast Governors must take decisive action to secure communities.
Indeed, this is not just about military service; it is about survival. If proactive steps are not taken today, the South East could face deeper security challenges and greater threats in the years ahead.
Chidiebere Nwabueze Udekwe ESQ
PRESIDENT
OTU OKA-IWU ABUJA
