The Lagos State government has apprehended six individuals from the northern region who allegedly attempted to secure slots in the Nigerian Army recruitment process within the state.
The individuals, hailing from Kaduna State, were exposed in a viral video on Wednesday, where they falsely claimed to be of Lagos origin. The Lagos state government demaned for their arrest and trial on charges of perjury.
The Commissioner for Information Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, highlighted the criminal nature of such actions during a telephone conversation with journalists on Wednesday.
The Nigerian Army, through a statement by Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, acknowledged the arrests, underlining the transparency of their recruitment process.
The statement indicated, “The Nigerian Army wishes to state that the arrest of the fraudulent candidates was a result of the commitment to upholding a transparent and credible recruitment process. The video is evidence of the measures taken to ensure only true indigenes of a particular state are recruited, utilizing the allocated slots of that state and preventing non-indigenes from taking advantage.”
The Army has pledged a comprehensive investigation to uncover fraudulent activities and identify those responsible, reassuring the public that justice will prevail.
Retired Maj.-Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju has called upon Governor Sanwo-Olu and Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja to probe the alleged violation of constitutional rights, labeling the incident as “procedurally wrong and democratically unacceptable.”
Olanrewaju also advocated for the establishment of an autonomous ‘Verification System Unit’ in Lagos State to prevent future abuses in slot allocation, emphasizing the need for collective action and political willpower.
