FIC Report (Edo State) – The Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, on Wednesday 8th of April, 2026 intensified efforts to increase the participation of Edo youths in the ongoing recruitment exercise of the Nigerian Army, as he received a delegation of the Army at the Government House in Benin City.
The visit formed part of a nationwide sensitisation campaign aimed at encouraging greater youth participation in the 91 Regular Recruitment Intake. During the meeting, the governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to creating widespread awareness to ensure Edo State meets its recruitment quota.
Governor Okpebholo noted that the state government had already begun steps to publicise the recruitment exercise and would intensify the campaign across all local government areas.
According to him, the government will leverage the platform of the Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) to further promote the exercise and reach more young people across the state.
“I received your letter yesterday very late, and after going through it, I saw the request for awareness creation, which we are already working on. I will also speak with the Managing Director of EBS to grant you access for interviews if necessary,” the governor said.
He added that the sensitisation campaign would also be extended to the grassroots through local government structures to ensure that youths across the state are adequately informed.
“I will be meeting with the local government chairmen and directing them to spread the information across all the local government areas. It is important that we meet our quota, and we will take this seriously so that our people are fully aware of the opportunity,” he added.
Governor Okpebholo also appealed to the Nigerian Army authorities to consider extending the application deadline to enable more eligible youths, particularly those in rural communities with limited internet access, to apply.
Leading the Army delegation, M. U. Ikobah, a Brigadier General, commended the governor for his support towards security and development in Edo State. He explained that the visit was aimed at encouraging more youths from the state to participate in the recruitment process.
He disclosed that the exercise, which began on March 30 and is expected to end on May 17, has so far attracted about 38,000 applications nationwide. However, Edo State has recorded only 291 applicants.
According to him, the Nigerian Army intends to recruit about 14,000 personnel across the country, translating to approximately 300 to 400 recruits per state, noting that Edo’s current number of applicants remains below the expected figure.
Also present at the meeting were the Commander of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Benin City, A. O. Balogun; Secretary to the Edo State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor; Chief of Staff, Yakubu Musa; Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua; and Commissioner for Public Security and Safety, Ebea Festus Odianosen, among others.
As part of the sensitisation effort, the campaign was later extended to the New Festival Hall at the Government House, where over 300 youths were addressed and encouraged to spread awareness about the recruitment exercise across their respective local government areas.
Signed:
Omoluogbe Ruth
FIC Benin city
9th April, 2026.
