Nigeria Approved the Hiring of 28,000 Soldiers to Address Escalating Insecurity

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu approved the recruitment of 28,000 military soldiers on Thursday to “strengthen national security” as the country grapples with a number of conflicts. Africa’s most populous country is embroiled in a long-running conflict in its northern areas, exacerbated by inroads made by terrorists from the Sahel and non-ideological “bandit” groups.

Tinubu, who is running for re-election in January, declared a statewide security emergency in November as his administration tried to deal with a surge of mass kidnappings and violence. He promised to respond with extra boots on the ground. His spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement on Thursday that Tinubu had approved “the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel,” describing it as “a historic move to strengthen the country’s security architecture.

He stated that the new steps would also include the purchase of equipment and improvements in troop welfare. Last week, local media reported that the minimum wage for soldiers had been increased to 100,000 naira ($72) per month for the lowest paid troops. The administration has already initiated a recruitment drive for 50,000 policemen.

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