The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has said the Nigerian Army would recruit 28,000 personnel to boost its manpower needs in the fight against insecurity across the country.
The COAS, who stated this Friday in Abuja during a press conference to herald the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) 2026, added that the Army is deploying modern strategies and technology to combat insecurity across the country.
Represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Maj.- Gen. Bamidele Alabi, the COAS said the Army has established a training depot at Amasiri Edda, in Ebonyi state to make the mass recruitment possible.
“We are also improving our deployment strategies and employing modern technology as a force multiplier in our efforts to quickly degrade all forms of criminality across the country.
“Manpower is as important as the equipment required to fight insecurity.
“To this end, we have expanded our recruitment scope by establishing another training depot at Amasiri Edda, making it the third institution to train able-bodied civilians for the Nigerian Army, thereby enhancing our manpower.
“With this action, the Nigerian Army is expected to recruit and train an additional 28,000 troops to help stem the tide of insecurity across the country,” he said.
Shaibu also said the Nigerian Army has established additional brigades and units to boost its operations, while continuously reviewing force structure to cover observed gaps in deployments to address emerging security challenges across the country.
“We have also continued to enhance our operational capability by the induction of modern platforms, combat enablers and strategic partnerships,” he said.
The army chief noted that since assuming office as the 25th Chief of Army Staff seven months ago, the Nigerian Army has in conjunction with other security agencies recorded notable progress in operations, infrastructure, manpower development, professionalism and civil-military relations.
According to him, this brings to the fore my command philosophy, anchored on the vision, “To Advance the Transformation of the Nigerian Army into a More Professional, Adaptable, Combat-Ready, and Resilient Force Capable of Decisively Discharging its Constitutional Responsibilities Within a Joint and Multi-Agency Environment,” which underscores the importance of synergy.
