Senator Emma Nwachukwu has cautioned that the continued reluctance of Igbo youths to enlist in the Nigerian Armed Forces could leave the South-East with few or no officers of Igbo origin in the Army, Navy and Air Force within a few years.
The senator representing Anambra South delivered the warning while briefing constituents at his country home in Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State. He said stakeholders were already working to encourage young people from the region to take up available recruitment opportunities in the military and other security agencies.
Nwachukwu noted that recruitment exercises are ongoing in the armed forces and the police, yet many Igbo youths remain uninterested. He called on the media to help sensitise young people to the importance of applying so that the region maintains adequate representation in the security services.
“You know that there are recruitments in the armed forces and the police, but unfortunately, our youths are not keen on working in the armed forces. The media should encourage our young people to please apply for these positions,” he said.
From interactions with some youths, the senator identified fear of deployment to areas affected by the Boko Haram insurgency as a major reason for the hesitation. He warned that the long-term consequence would be severe. “But the calamity of such decision is that in a few years’ time, we won’t have officers of Igbo extraction in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, and when that happens, we will be shouting of marginalisation,” Nwachukwu said.
He urged community leaders and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to persuade young people to apply for openings in the security forces. While social media campaigns are already underway, he said mainstream media could help reach a wider audience.
On the 2027 general elections, Nwachukwu expressed confidence that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the ruling party in Anambra State, would win all 44 legislative seats it plans to contest. The party intends to field candidates for the three senatorial seats, 11 House of Representatives seats and 30 State House of Assembly seats.
He attributed the party’s optimism to the performance of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, saying the governor’s work had strengthened APGA’s support among Anambra people. The senator also said he had established a cordial relationship between federal lawmakers from the state and the state government during his time in the Senate, and had helped secure employment for many youths from Anambra South.
He appealed to his constituents for another term, arguing that continuity would allow him to complete projects and initiatives already started.
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