Nigerian govt to recruit more soldiers to tackle insurgency, banditry

The Federal Government on Sunday declared its intention to commence the recruitment of more soldiers to fight the Boko Haram insurgency and banditry in the country.

The Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, disclosed this when he led the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor and other service chiefs on an operational visit to the headquarters of the Theatre Command in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Sunday.

He said the recruitment is part of the government’s strategy to meet up manpower shortfalls as the country battles insurgency and banditry.

The minister said the delegation visited the theatre command to assess the fighting spirit of the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole and motivate them.

Magashi said the government’s planned to recruit more hands to relieve the battle fatigued soldiers.

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He said: “Very soon we will embark on the recruitment of other soldiers and officers so that we improve the manpower holding of our armed forces.

“We will bring new equipment and new skills in which I will like all of you to benefit from to enable you to be more proficient and more effective in this assignment you’re doing. We have lost time; we are now almost 10 years in this operation.

“There are many other operations that we are doing in terms of banditry and other things in this country and I am sure that given the right tools, you will do this country proud.”

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