31 Jul Nigeria recruits 28,000 military personnel to strengthen security

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 28,000 additional military personnel as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s security capabilities amid ongoing violence and conflict.

The recruitment drive comes as Africa’s most populous nation continues to face long-running security challenges across its northern regions, where military forces are combating terrorist groups alongside non-ideological armed gangs commonly referred to as “bandits”.

President Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency in November last year following a wave of mass kidnappings and violence. At the time, he pledged to increase the number of security personnel deployed across the country as part of the government’s response.

Announcing the latest measures, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga described the recruitment as “a landmark move to enhance the country’s security architecture”.

Alongside the additional personnel, the government has approved the purchase of new equipment and measures aimed at improving troop welfare.

According to local media reports, the minimum monthly wage for the country’s lowest-paid soldiers has recently been doubled to 100,000 naira (US$72). The government has also launched a separate recruitment campaign for 50,000 police officers to further bolster security resources.

The latest military recruitment forms part of the government’s wider efforts to reinforce national security and respond to the ongoing threats facing communities across the country.