By Milcah Tanimu

Security agencies have apprehended candidates from Kaduna State who were attempting to fraudulently change their indigeneship status to claim Lagos as their state of origin. A viral video showed candidates of the 86 Regular Recruits Intake, originally from Kaduna, falsely declaring themselves as natives of a South-West state.

The individuals were put to the test when asked to speak Yoruba, the predominant language in Lagos and the South-West, and they failed to do so convincingly.

Responding to the incident, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Nigerian Army spokesman, labeled this act as a “serious breach” of the recruitment process that will not be tolerated. In a statement on Wednesday, he stated, “We wish to inform the general public that the fraudulent act perpetrated by the three candidates who attempted to secure vacancies designated for candidates with Lagos State indigeneship is a serious breach of our recruitment process and will not be condoned.”

The Nigerian Army has assured the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the extent of the fraudulent activities and to identify any individuals or syndicates involved in the attempt to manipulate the recruitment process.