The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Waidi Shuaibu, has announced plans to recruit and train 24,000 new soldiers as part of a significant expansion of the Nigerian Army’s operational capacity to tackle the country’s persistent and evolving security threats.
Shuaibu made the announcement on Wednesday during an operational visit to the 1 Division headquarters in Kaduna, where he addressed officers ranging from second lieutenants to lieutenant colonels. The visit is part of a nationwide assessment tour aimed at enhancing operational readiness across all deployment theatres.
Highlighting the scale of Nigeria’s security challenges, the Army chief emphasized that the recruitment drive is necessary to provide the “boots on the ground” required to respond effectively.
“The area of responsibility is vast and security challenges are dynamic. To meet these threats effectively, we need boots on the ground,” Shuaibu said.
