Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has urged qualified youths across the state to take advantage of the ongoing Nigerian Army recruitment exercise and enlist in the military. Makinde made the call through his deputy, Bayo Lawal, at a sensitisation programme for indigenes and stakeholders on the 92 Regular Recruits Intake……
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has urged qualified youths across the state to take advantage of the ongoing Nigerian Army recruitment exercise and enlist in the military.
Makinde made the call through his deputy, Bayo Lawal, at a sensitisation programme for indigenes and stakeholders on the 92 Regular Recruits Intake (RRI) for Tradesmen, Non-Tradesmen and Women held at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.
According to Nigerian Tribune, the governor said the establishment of new Nigerian Army formations across the state had created additional opportunities for Oyo indigenes to pursue military careers while contributing to national security.
He listed the formations as a brigade and battalion in Oyo town, an infantry battalion in Kishi, an artillery regiment battalion in Iseyin and another battalion in Oriire.
According to him, the formations would strengthen security in the state while also having the capacity to support national defence and offensive operations.
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Makinde described the sensitisation programme as timely, particularly against the backdrop of recent banditry challenges, stressing that only an organised institution such as the Nigerian Army could effectively confront such threats.
He also linked the recruitment exercise to efforts to tackle unemployment among young people in the state.
The governor said although the state government had employed more than 23,000 people into the civil and public service since 2019, many qualified youths were still without jobs.
Makinde thanked the Nigerian Army and the Chief of Army Staff for approving four additional formations for Oyo State, saying the military offered young people meaningful employment and a defined career path.
He assured that the state government would ensure wide dissemination of information about the recruitment exercise and called on stakeholders to circulate the details across communities.
Speaking on the recruitment exercise, the Team Lead, Brigadier General Olusegun Okungbure, said the sensitisation campaign was aimed at encouraging qualified youths to enlist in the Nigerian Army.
Okungbure said the exercise commenced on September 9, 2026, and would end on October 21, 2026, adding that it was open to qualified male and female indigenes of Oyo State.
He stressed that the application was free and warned prospective applicants to use only the official Nigerian Army recruitment portal.
According to him, the current recruitment drive followed an earlier directive by the Chief of Army Staff after Oyo recorded a low turnout in the previous exercise.
He said although the intervention increased the number of applications from the state, Oyo still failed to meet its allocated quota of successful candidates.
Okungbure urged youths across the 33 local government areas to see enlistment as a “noble call to national service” rather than simply an avenue for securing employment.
He listed national integration, foreign exposure, peacekeeping experience, improved welfare packages and access to world-class medical care among the benefits of a military career.
