General Shaibu has triggered nationwide debate by warning that Nigeria may be forced to reintroduce compulsory military service if the current recruitment crisis persists.
Speaking yesterday at the closing ceremony of the 85 Regular Recruits Intake passing-out parade in Zaria, Kaduna State, the COAS expressed deep frustration over the alarming rate at which young Nigerians are shunning the Nigerian Army.
Last year we recruited over 10,000 young men and women. Today, almost all of them have disappeared from the system,” Gen Shaibu revealed. “They collect the enlistment allowance, go through initial documentation, and then vanish. Some sell their call-up letters, others simply refuse to show up for training.
This is sabotaging national security at a time we are fighting insurgency, banditry, and secessionist threats on multiple fronts.
He warned that the Army is now critically short-staffed, with many units operating at 40–50% strength despite ongoing threats from Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed bandits. If this trend continues, we will have no choice but to advise Mr President to bring back compulsory national service, like it was in the past.
Every able-bodied young Nigerian will be made to serve. We cannot continue to beg people to defend their own country while terrorists are recruiting freely,” he declared.
Nigeria abolished compulsory military service decades ago, relying instead on voluntary enlistment. The last time conscription was seriously discussed was during the civil war era.
Reactions have been swift and polarised:Youth groups and civil society organisations condemned the statement as a veiled threat and proof of failed governance. “forcing patriotism with gunpoint.
Security analysts and retired generals backed the COAS, arguing that with over 200,000 personnel needed to effectively police Nigeria’s land mass and population, voluntary recruitment alone is no longer sustainable.On social media, #CompulsoryService trended nationwide, with many young Nigerians vowing to leave the country rather than be conscripted.
The Army has since clarified that no final decision has been taken, but confirmed that the 2025 recruitment cycle recorded the lowest turnout in history, less than 30% of successful applicants reported to depot.
As insurgency rages in the North-East and North-West, and with recent high-profile losses including Brigadier General Musa Uba, the military insists it needs at least 50,000 new soldiers annually to replace casualties, retirements, and desertions.
Whether the warning is a wake-up call or the first step toward actual conscription, one thing is clear: Nigeria’s youth are sending a strong message, they no longer see military service as an attractive career.