The Nigerian Army has thwarted attempts by three candidates who sought to secure vacancies designated for Lagos State candidates using fraudulent state of origin certificates.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, highlighted the seriousness of this breach and emphasized the Army’s commitment to a transparent and credible recruitment process.
Nwachukwu stated, “The fraudulent act perpetrated by the three candidates who attempted to secure vacancies designated for candidates with Lagos State indigeneship is a serious breach of the recruitment process and will not be condoned.”
He underscored that the arrest of these individuals aligns with the Army’s dedication to upholding integrity and fairness in its recruitment processes.
A viral video depicting part of the recruitment process was cited as evidence of the Army’s commitment to transparency.
Nwachukwu explained, “The video is a pointer to one of the processes to which the candidates were subjected, in order to ensure only true indigenes of a particular State are recruited, using the slots of that state and not non-indigenes.”
The State Representative, an integral member of the recruitment team, played a crucial role in scrutinizing the candidates’ state of origin to verify the genuineness of their claims.
Nwachukwu clarified, “The duty of the State Representative is to identify non-indigenes amongst candidates applying for recruitment, and this is applicable in other States of the Federation.”
Assuring the public of a thorough investigation, Nwachukwu stated, “We want to assure the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted to ascertain the extent of these fraudulent activities and to identify any individual(s) or unscrupulous syndicate(s) involved.”
He affirmed the Army’s dedication to selecting only the most qualified and deserving candidates for service.
The Army pledged to collaborate closely with relevant authorities to ensure accountability for those involved in the fraudulent activities.
The culprits will be handed over to the appropriate prosecuting agency. Nwachukwu warned that any attempt to manipulate the recruitment process would face the full force of the law.
Prospective candidates were urged to adhere to the principles of honesty and integrity throughout the recruitment process, reinforcing the Army’s commitment to a fair and just selection process.
