Tinubu backtracks on Army Recruitment, says he mentioned 50 million youths in error
The ex-Lagos State Governor and national leader of the APC Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that he made an error while calling for more youths to be drafted into the Nigerian Army to adequately address the nation’s security challenges.
In a communique issued on Tuesday by his media aide Tunde Rahman, Tinubu stated that contrary to comments made at the colloquium in Kano where his 69th birthday was celebrated, the intended recommendation was to have fifty thousand (50,000) youths recruited into various national security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army.
“Asiwaju seeks the expansion of security personnel by 50,000 for the armed forces, not the 50 million that was mentioned in error. It was an accidental verbal mistake of which we all commit from time to time especially when reciting a series of large numerical figures.
“He did not mean 50 million, which is almost a quarter of our total population. The crucial matter is that Asiwaju rightly observed that such strong recruitment would serve the twin-purpose of helping to tackle unemployment while at the same time enhancing the security of every Nigerian.
“Please forgive any confusion due to this innocent error. The most vital thing is that he set forth a wise and timely approach that would help us face two of today’s stiffest challenges.
“It is in the spirit that we hope you view and assess his proposal for it seeks to provide a way for more youths to participate in building a greater, safer, and more prosperous country,” Rahman’s communique reads in part.
Reminiscing his speech at his 69 birthday, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had on Monday asked the Federal Government to recruit 50 million youths into the Nigerian Army in a bid to stem the tides of insurgency in the country.
Addressing guests at the 12th colloquium organised in his honour, the Asiwaju stated that the recruitment move will help restore peace within troubled regions and stop miscreants from recruiting young people to do their biddings.
The statement on Tuesday also adds that the APC national leader believes the more job opportunities are presented to youths, the less some of them will be tempted to delve into illegal and dangerous activities.
As part of this overall approach, Tinubu believes that eligible youths should be recruited into the armed forces, police, and other security agencies to augment the functional capacity of Nigeria’s security apparatus, thus ensuring the better security and safety of the people.
The 12th Bola Tinubu Colloquium marking Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s birthday was a well-attended event that focused on the important theme of national cohesion during these challenging times.