No fewer than 4,739 recruits of the 90 Regular Recruits Intake on Saturday passed out from the Depot Nigerian Army, Osogbo, Osun State, as part of efforts to strengthen security in the country.

Speaking at the event, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, commended the Depot Nigerian Army, Osogbo, for its role in producing disciplined and combat-ready soldiers.

He said the depot had established itself as a credible training institution, having successfully trained 8,111 recruits to the standards of the Nigerian Army.

According to him, the achievement reinforces the army’s capacity to generate well-trained personnel and sustain ongoing operations to address emerging security challenges.

Mr Shaibu noted that the recruits had been transformed from civilians into disciplined soldiers imbued with the values, ethics, and fighting spirit of the Nigerian Army.

He added that the reviewed training curriculum, with emphasis on counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations, had equipped the recruits with essential foundational competencies.

The army chief said the passing-out recruits were part of the first batch of 28,000 personnel approved by President Bola Tinubu to boost national security.

“In this regard, the three training depots in Amasiri-Eda, Osogbo, and Zaria are collectively expected to produce 14,000 recruits in two streams, a significant increase from the previous annual output of about 12,000,” he said.

Mr Shaibu cautioned the new soldiers against violating the Armed Forces’ social media policy, warning that unauthorised sharing of operational information, images of military activities, or sensitive locations constitutes a serious breach.

“Violations can and will attract disciplinary action, including dismissal from service,” he said.

He urged the recruits to demonstrate restraint, maturity, and responsibility in their use of social media and to operate strictly within human rights principles and rules of engagement.

In his remarks, Governor Ademola Adeleke congratulated the recruits and urged them to remain loyal to the Constitution and place national interest above personal considerations.

Represented by his deputy, Kola Adewusi, the governor commended the armed forces and other security agencies for their commitment to national unity, peace, and stability.

He, however, called on the army to assist in addressing rising political violence in the state, which he attributed to the influx of illegal arms and criminal activities linked to illegal mining.

Mr Adeleke urged the establishment of military checkpoints at critical entry and exit points to curb the proliferation of illegal firearms and deter criminal movements into the state. 

(NAN)