The Nigerian government has commenced a fresh recruitment drive targeted at retired military personnel, their dependants and other Nigerians who may be interested in benefiting from the initiative.
Military sources told PREMIUM TIMES the exercise was approved early this week, and its implementation had already commenced across the country.
A new Corps of Commissionaires has been established as a non-profit security firm to provide employment for ex-servicemen willing to earn additional income to supplement their monthly pensions, PREMIUM TIMES can report.
The Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force have all directed their respective formations across the country to begin circulating forms for interested persons to join the Corps of Commissionaires — which was modelled after the British Corps of Commissionaires and other similar establishments across the Commonwealth.
The policy was apparently designed as part of Buhari administration’s efforts to contain the country’s acute unemployment, which had been worsened by massive job losses within the last four years while millions of youth also remain perpetually underemployed or unemployed.
It was not immediately clear how many people would be engaged through the policy, but a large chunk of them will be sent to government ministries, departments and agencies to provide additional security. A spokesperson for the Defence Headquarters, Onyema Nwachukwu, did not return requests for comments Wednesday morning.
Currently, public offices are being protected mostly by police officers, civil defence officers, and other civilian paramilitary officers. Nigerian Army and State Security Service (SSS) also send personnel to several crucial federal offices and assets to provide additional security.
A similar initiative of the Buhari government that targeted unemployed youth has recruited about 500,000 people as of 2018, according to government data.
The N-Power scheme was, however, characterised by allegations of corruption and irresponsibility, leading the government to disengage over 2,500 beneficiaries last week.
PREMIUM TIMES
