By Ephraim Emmanuel
Inadequate welfare packages for serving and retired officers have been identified as the primary reason behind the sharp decline in military recruitment applications from the South-South and South-East regions of Nigeria.
Security relations consultant, Mr. Boseinde Araigbe, raised the concern while reacting to the Presidency’s recent approval to recruit 28,000 new personnel and expand the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions to tackle mounting nationwide insecurity.
Speaking during an interview with ExceedFm, Araigbe stated that poor remuneration and lack of post-service care continue to deter young people in the Southern regions from pursuing military careers. He emphasized that the situation is particularly disheartening when personnel sustain life-altering injuries in active duty without receiving adequate state support.
“The welfare package for serving and retired personnel is nothing to write home about, especially when an officer suffers permanent injuries in active service to the nation,” Araigbe remarked, calling for urgent structural reforms.
The security analyst also criticized the government’s handling of police welfare, expressing strong reservations over the funding levels and actual implementation of approved budgetary allocations for the police force.
Highlighting the real-world impact of these systemic shortcomings, Araigbe drew attention to the tragic case of Inspector Godday Aleru. On June 29, heavily armed unknown gunmen attacked a C4i security checkpoint along the Aluu-Airport Road, killing two police officers and leaving Inspector Aleru severely wounded.
As a result of injuries sustained during the line-of-duty attack, Inspector Aleru’s leg was subsequently amputated. Araigbe made an urgent appeal to residents, corporate entities, and public-spirited individuals in Rivers State to step forward and establish a special fund to assist the officer with his urgent medical bills and rehabilitation.
