Insurgency: Army to recruit 28,000 soldiers to boost manpower

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Nigerian Army said it has concluded plans to recruit and train  additional 28,000 soldiers to boost its manpower and strengthen the ongoing war against terrorism and other forms of insecurity in the country.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, made this known at a briefing on the activities lined up for the 2026 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) in Abuja.

Represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Bamidele Alabi, the COAS, said the recruitment drive was made possible by the establishment of a new training depot at Amasiri Edda in Ebonyi State, bringing the number of recruit-training institutions in the Nigerian Army to three.

He said: “Manpower is as important as the equipment required to fight insecurity. To this end, we have expanded our recruitment capacity by establishing another training depot at Amasiri Edda.

“With this development, 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 also said that the Service had also established additional brigades and units while continuously reviewing its force structure to address deployment gaps and respond effectively to emerging security threats.

“Accordingly, the Nigerian Army has established additional brigades and units to boost operations, while continuously reviewing its force structure to cover identified gaps and address evolving security challenges nationwide,”

Gen. Shaibu noted that the Army had strengthened its operational capabilities through the acquisition of modern platforms, combat enablers and strategic partnerships.

The COAS reaffirmed the commitment of the Service to denying criminal and subversive elements the freedom to operate, stressing that sustained peace and security remain essential to Nigeria’s economic growth and prosperity.

He also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve personnel welfare, reward gallantry and upgrade infrastructure across formations nationwide.