The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has admonished recruitment personnel of the Nigerian Army against compromise as he urged them to uphold the sanctity of the process and integrity of the profession.
Yahya made the remark on Saturday, before flagging off a 10Km endurance run for candidates undergoing screening to qualify for the 84 Regular Recruits Intake into the Nigerian Army (NA) at the Nigerian Army Battle Fitness Centre (NABFC) in Falgore forest, Kano state.
He told the prospective recruits not to see the Nigerian Army as an escape from unemployment but rather a call to serve and defend their fatherland.
He said that, unlike other professions, recruitment into the NA is a national call to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria and therefore requires citizens who are not only physically and medically fit, but also mentally and emotionally stable.
He added that recruitment into the military requires selflessness and if need be, the supreme sacrifice, emphasizing that it is not an all comers’ affair.
Advising the candidates to take the screening seriously, as only the best will emerge in the final enlistment, Gen Yahaya also admonished personnel conducting the screening exercise to protect their integrity by avoiding any form of compromise.
On his part, the Chief of Administration (Army), Maj Gen Wilson Ali, stated that the progressive provision of infrastructure, such as electricity, portable water, upgrade of medical centre, dormitories and lavatories in the centre, enabled a conducive environment to effectively conduct the exercise.
He promised the COAS of a hitch-free screening exercise.
The COAS later embarked on a facility tour and paid a visit to candidates who were receiving attention at the medical centre.
