The Nigerian Army has said its recruitment is guided by the provisions of the Constitution and not on ethnicity or religious sentiment.
“The Force remains steadfast in upholding professionalism and impartiality as an institution devoid of ethnic and religious bigotry,” it said.
The Army’s spokesperson, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said this in a statement yesterday while reacting to a viral video calling young men to join the military to protect their religion.
Gen. Nwachukwu said the narrative depicted in the video is not ‘a reflection of the true values and standards of the Army’. He described the content of the video as ‘false, misleading, and targeted at sparking anxiety, fear and sowing discord and mistrust among our personnel. It is also aimed at eroding public confidence in the integrity of the Army, particularly among Christian and non-Muslim communities, who might feel their lives and faith are under threat, and ultimately engender religious crisis in the country’.
Gen. Nwachukwu urged the public to ‘rise above these divisive tactics and stand united’.
“The strength of Nigeria lies in her unity in diversity, and it is this unique national strength and trait that the Army seeks to protect while carrying out its constitutional responsibilities. We will remain undaunted in upholding these principles in the face of any challenge,” he added.