Going by the popular saying in Nigeria, old soldier never dies, here are indications that the Nigerian Army may be currently experiencing an acute shortage of manpower, due to the high number of those who voluntarily retired.
It was gathered that one of the units badly hit by the development was the Mechanical Engineering Corps.
Over 1,008 soldiers resigned from the Nigerian Army in the last four years.
According to the report, in 2023, the Nigerian Army approved the retirement of no fewer than 59 soldiers.
Earlier in 2022, a total of 261 soldiers resigned; in 2021, 127 resigned, and 365 resigned in 2020.
However, to fill the vacancy, it was gathered that the army was planning to re-engage discharged soldiers.
In a memo dated October 16, 2024, a copy sighted by an online medium, the mechanical corps lamented that huge numbers of soldiers resigned from the unit.
The memo signed by Lt Col A. Muhammed urged all commanding officers to reach out to discharged soldiers in the area of responsibilities.
Over 1,008 soldiers resigned from the Nigerian Army in the last four years.
According to the report, in 2023, the Nigerian Army approved the retirement of no fewer than 59 soldiers.
Earlier in 2022, a total of 261 soldiers resigned; in 2021, 127 resigned, and 365 resigned in 2020.
In August this year, 196 soldiers resigned from the Army.
that one would have to go through before you are allowed to carry weapons. But these people already know. So, for me, it is long due.
“For me, they should be paid. Whatever budget the army should submit to the Senate, the same way they have been passing all the bills the President has been sending to them, which do not even favour the common man, that same way they should pass that bill. Even if it is N100bn, they should pass it. As long as we would get the results, they should pass it immediately,” he said.
Similarly, Chidi Omeje, also a security expert, commended the idea.
He, however, said the success would depend on how it was coordinated and the motive behind the invitation.
“To me, anything that will add to the impetus to our operation is welcome. I’m very sure that if that is what we are doing, the authorities would have looked at the pros and cons and would have looked at the advantages of activating this reserved list.
“To me, it is not a bad idea, but as I said, it depends on how it is coordinated, it depends on what exactly is the driving force. If it is to give jobs to ‘the boys’, it becomes a different ball game.
“But if it is out of an urgency to add to the boots on the ground, to add eyes to the sky, and then to the waters, you know what I mean, then that’s okay,” he said.