The Lagos State Government on Wednesday appealed to indigenous youths to enroll in the military.
The Secretary to the State Government, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, appealed during the quarterly meetings with the Chairman and members of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), in Ikeja.
Salu-Hundeyin said that the security of a nation was everybody’s business and being in the military was a service to the state and the nation at large.
She said it was disheartening to know that indigene youths of the state were not enrolling in the military, as seen during the last recruitment.
According to her, the Federal Government has said that recruitment into the military must be in equal numbers and that each state has 150 slots in the military.
“We discovered that in the military in Nigeria, Lagos State has been seriously short-changed. We hardly have people there. So, we are looking at this opportunity now, that it should not escape indigenes again.
“The military is about the security of a nation, and security of any nation must be everybody’s business. It should not be for a particular group only, but because everybody cannot wear the uniform, the government, in its wisdom, now says to those of you who want to do this job, you will apply.
“Unfortunately, in Lagos State, our children don’t like to join the military. They don’t see any reason why they should be part of the army. If your state does not participate, you are short-changing your state.
“We all know that security is key. We cannot leave you to the hands of only certain people. I think it is a disservice to our country, for me to come from Lagos State, and be eligible, and I refuse to join. I am not being a good Lagosian or a good Nigerian,” she said.
The SSG said that instead of youths getting involved in things that were not very pleasing, that they should join the military and be useful there.
“Today, the military is not just about gun carrying, even though they teach them to carry guns, because that is a basic thing. You can be a medical doctor there. You can be a nurse, you can be a mechanic.
“You can do anything if you are in the military. So, it’s not as if it is a bad thing to do.
“It is the number one service you can give to your nation. It is a great service, it is a service you should be proud to be part of.
“It is a thing of pride, and we should let our youth know that the greatest thing they can do to themselves and for their country, for their state, is to be a part of the military,” she said.
Also speaking, Apostle Kehinde Sowemimo, Chairman of PCRC, Lagos State Command, said that it had become a reoccurring situation, especially in the southwest, that people don’t want their children to be in the forces.
Sowemimo said that there was a need to change the orientation of people that one was being sent to the military to be killed.
“It is not, because there are other professions in the military, and of course; some people must also defend your community; defend your environment; defend your tribe, defend your country.
“It cannot be only one part of the country that will defend the country. You must all come together to defend the country so that it is not one-sided.
“So, it is continuing education of our people, letting them know that the military is not signing off to death. Joining the military or joining the police is enhancing your generational belief, that is making your community to be safer, and that makes your generation to be safer,” he said.
The chairman said the essence of the committee was to complement the government’s efforts and security in local communities, working with the policing authorities to enhance the security operators in that area.
According to him, the committee reports to the government and police, what they see or hear, and works together to mitigate against crimes and criminalities.
He said the recent challenge of the menace of lorries resurfacing at the Apapa axis, hence, the task force should step up on that.
“We are already seeing that people are having challenges of petrol hawking because of the scarcity, and it is becoming imminent where people are buying and putting kegs everywhere,” Sowemimo said.
He called on the government to improve the availability of this product and address the issue of lack of vehicles at the police stations, for effective service delivery.