The Lagos State Government has urged the arrest and prosecution of six northern candidates involved in the Nigerian Army recruitment process, who falsely claimed to be indigenes of Lagos. In a viral video, the candidates from Kaduna State attempted to secure recruitment slots designated for Lagos State indigenes. While the government awaits an official report, Commissioner for Information Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, emphasized that such fraudulent acts should be treated as perjury, calling for police intervention.
The Nigerian Army confirmed the arrest of the candidates, asserting its commitment to a transparent and credible recruitment process. An investigation will be conducted to identify those responsible for fraudulent activities, and the Army pledged cooperation with relevant authorities to ensure justice.
Former Minister of Communications and retired Major-General Tajudeen Olanrewaju called for an investigation into the violation of constitutional rights, highlighting procedural flaws and the need for stringent verification measures in Lagos State’s indigenship application conditions. Olanrewaju urged responsible agencies to address the abuse of identity claims and proposed the establishment of a Verification System Unit for autonomous and accurate verification in the recruitment process.
The incident sparked concerns over the integrity of the recruitment process and calls for proactive measures to prevent such manipulations in the future.
