Ohanaeze decries Igbo youths’ nonchalant attitude to police recruitment

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has decried the ‘disturbing’ lack of interest in joining Nigeria Police Force recruitment by Igbo youths.

The President-General of the group, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who expressed disappointment in the nonchalant attitude shown by Igbo youths towards joining the police and other security agencies, urged Southeast governors, religious traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders to intervene and halt the trend.

In a statement he personally signed on Monday, Iwuanyanwu said: “I have observed with dismay the nonchalant attitude shown by the youths of the South-East of Nigeria towards the ongoing recruitment exercise for General Duty Constables of the Nigeria Police Force.

“The available information shows that Kaduna State is leading in the online application into the Police Force with 20, 259 while Anambra State trails last with a mere 541 applications. Others include Ebonyi State with 737; Abia State, 966; Imo State, 999; and Enugu, 1036.

“The lack of interest by the Igbo youths towards the Nigeria Police Force is disturbing because it is only enlisting in the Police Force that offers the unique possibility of becoming a senior police officer in the future.

“I hereby call on the South-East Governors led by His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma; the Chairman, South East Council of Traditional Rulers led by HRH, Ambassador Lawrence Agubuzu; the States President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo; the Chairman, Association of South-East Town Unions led by Chief Emeka Diwe; the Clergy and the various Igbo groups and social movements to use their various structures to sensitize the Igbo youths to embrace the opportunity provided by the ongoing recruitment exercise.”