Shettima Allocates 103 Plots of Land To 108 CJTF Recruited Into Nigerian Army, Donates N50,000 Cash, Food Items Each

By Ahmed Abu, The Nigerian Voice, Maiduguri

Selected one hundred and eight members of the Civilian JTF from Borno state that participated in the fight against Boko haram terrorists in complementing the efforts of the Nigerian military since 2009 to date in the restoration of peace have finally been recruited into the Nigerian Army.

They were the last batch of army recruits that were recruited by the Nigeria Army, Nigeria Police Force and State Security Service.

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state while receiving the recruits at the Government House Maiduguri allocated plots of land to each of the 108 recruits, a cash donation of N50,000 and food items to each of the 108 former CJTF in appreciation of their selfless voluntary sacrifices and commitment to the return of peace to the state during the insurgency.

However, a total of 400 members of the Civilian JTF have so far been enlisted into the Nigerian army through the support of the Borno State government on the completion of their training at the Nigerian Army Training Depot.

Introducing the new soldiers to the Borno State Governor, the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan said the former Civilian JTF personnel were given all the necessary training required of them to become full fledged soldiers.

He added that following the recent announcement of the last recruitment process by the Nigeria army, the state government encouraged all interested members of the Civilian JTF to put in their application.

“We, as a government, helped them to purchase the forms and facilitated all the process of their going to the Depot,” he explained.

“Today, they have passed their Depot training and are now bonafide soldiers of the Nigerian Army.”

"The State Attorney General office coordinates the affairs of the Civilian JTF under the Borno State Youth Empowerment Scheme, BOYES and the 103 soldiers drawn from the Civilian JTF were recruited based on merit. They were not done any favour by the Nigerian Army,” Lawan said.

“The recruitment exercise comes up every quarter of the year, and during each exercise, we utilise the opportunity to encourage those interested to join the Army.

“The 103 of them were taken, having met all the requirements of soldiering in the Army. All that we did was to help them get the forms and facilitate their logistics.

"But due to the fact that they went to the Depot as already experienced combatant from Borno front lines, all the drills at the Depot were just a walkover for the 103 of them.

“In the first batch we had 80 of them enlisted into the Nigerian Army; in the second batch we had about 170 of them; and now we have 103,” Lawan said.

“We also have 30 of them that have been recruited into the Department of Security Service (DSS) while a few have also been taken by the Nigeria Police Force, ” Kaka added

In his remark, Governor Kashim Shettima said he was happy with their transformation from former members of the Civilian JTF to the Nigerian Army.

He said apart other positive benefits that the youth vigilante brought to the state, the Civilian JTF also takes credit for the robust civil-military relations that is being enjoyed in the State today.

“The emergence of the Civilian JTF has a very positive effect on the relationship between the Nigerian armed forces and the civil populace,” Shettima said.

“It was a relationship that was hitherto frosty and tense. It was the emergence of our gallant Civilian JTF that brought about the understanding of the civil populace with the Nigerian armed forces.

“Your enlistment in the Nigerian Army is a very positive development and we urge all our youth with interests in the military to continue enlisting, because no one is better equipped than the gallant youth of Borno, in pursuing the path of peace here, because they know the terrain better than anyone else.

“I will communicate to the relevant authorities for your deployment to your home state so that you can help us in entrenching the emerging peace in our region," Shettima said.

The governor further explained he would not only facilitate their return to the depot for postings, but also reward their courage.

To that effect, the governor announced that an allocation of plots of land and N50, 000 cash be given to each of the 103 soldiers.

He also directed that two bags of rice, 25 litre jars of cooking oil, packs of noodles and cereal meals should also be given to each of them to help cushion the needs of their families while they are away, serving the nation.