Military Operations Cause Decline in Igbo Youth Enrollment

A report released by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) and the Ekwenche Research Institute and Organisation highlights that random military operations and mass arrests are causing a reluctance among Igbo families to allow their children to enlist in the Nigerian Armed Forces. The report, signed by Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi and Prof. Justin Akujieze, reveals that over 6,000 families in the Southeast are searching for relatives allegedly arrested by security agents, many of whom are labeled as members or supporters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) or the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

The findings indicate that approximately 70% of the more than 6,000 missing persons since January 2021 were taken by military personnel. The report calls for the Defence Headquarters to disclose details about those arrested or killed during military operations and urges for independent judicial inquiries into alleged disappearances and extrajudicial killings dating back to 2015.