Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has urged young men and women across the state to take advantage of the Nigerian Army’s ongoing recruiting drive, highlighting the abundance of options available in today’s military service.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Olumuyiwa Ojelabi from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, the governor stated that registration for the 89 Regular Recruits Intake for Trades and Non-Tradesmen/Women will end on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
Sanwo-Olu, represented by the State Government’s Secretary, ‘Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, made the call during a stakeholder engagement at Isheri Olofin’s palace.
“It is time for all stakeholders to rethink their perceptions of military careers. Today’s Army offers vast opportunities beyond the battlefield, with technology, education, and career development now forming integral parts of service life,” Salu-Hundeyin said on behalf of the governor.
The event brought together parents, youth, traditional and religious leaders, and artisans to increase awareness about the personal and professional advantages of joining the Army.
“Enlisting in the military not only allows one to serve the nation with pride but also opens doors to professional training in fields such as law, medicine, and aeronautics,” Sanwo-Olu noted.
He reiterated the state’s commitment to assisting qualified candidates from Lagos.
Olasunkanmi Lawal-Bello, the Olofin of Isheri Olofin, applauded the state government’s proposal and promised to mobilise young people in his realm.
“I commend Governor Sanwo-Olu for his unwavering commitment to youth empowerment and the THEMES+ Agenda, which I also align with, especially in the areas of education and healthcare,” the monarch said.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
