Nigeria TV Info 

Army to Recruit 24,000 Soldiers to Bolster Security Forces

Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, the Nigerian Army Chief of Army Staff, has announced the immediate recruitment and training of 24,000 new soldiers as part of a major push to reinforce the Army’s operational strength amid mounting security concerns.

The announcement came during his operational visit to the Army’s 1 Division headquarters in Kaduna, where General Shaibu told officers that the vast and dynamic threat environment demands “boots on the ground”.

Under the plan, three new training facilities—recently approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—will initially train 12,000 recruits within six months, and by running two training streams the output could scale to the full 24,000.

General Shaibu emphasised that the focus is not only on increasing numbers but on quality: recruits will undergo rigorous training in modern warfare tactics, leadership, weapon-handling and combat readiness in line with professional Army standards.

He also reiterated the Army’s “Soldier First” philosophy, promising expanded welfare and support programmes for both new recruits and serving personnel, and urged senior officers to mentor incoming recruits to uphold discipline and institutional values.

The recruitment initiative is expected to enhance troop coverage, speed of response to emerging threats, and protection of civilians and national infrastructure across Nigeria’s multiple theatres of operation.