By SUMAILA OGBAJE

The Nigerian Army has stepped up efforts to recover, secure and preserve all its landed properties across the country to enable the construction of additional barracks and critical infrastructure in line with its expanding force structure.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, stated this on Wednesday, at the groundbreaking for Phase II of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks, Asokoro, Abuja.

Shaibu described land preservation as a strategic requirement for the effective implementation of the Army Order of Battle.

He said the increasing strength of the Nigerian army made it imperative for commanders at all levels to protect army lands from encroachment, adding that future force locations must be adequately projected to sustain operational effectiveness.

The COAS directed Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL) to ensure that all army land documents, including Certificates of Occupancy, were properly preserved and gazetted to safeguard the army’s interests nationwide.

According to him, “the Nigerian Army Order of Battle cannot be fully implemented without adequate projection for future force locations,” noting that concrete steps to preserve army lands and infrastructure were essential to long-term planning and national security.

The army chief commended the progress of work already recorded at the barracks site and praised the Coordinator, Nigerian Army Special Projects and Programmes, Maj.-Gen. Bayode Adetoro, and his team for what he described as a promising start.

He urged that the construction of Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks Phase II be executed rapidly and in line with global best practices.

According to him, the phase II of the project is expected to provide accommodation for about 1,800 personnel, building on the success of Phase I, which caters for 614 personnel and was inaugurated on Jan. 23, by President Bola Tinubu.

He reaffirmed the unalloyed loyalty of officers and soldiers of the Nigerian army to the President, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the democratic institutions of the country.

Earlier, Adetoro said the project reflected the army’s resolve to institutionalise sustainable welfare initiatives.

The event culminated in the laying of the symbolic foundation block by the Chief of Army Staff, marking the formal commencement of construction works on the barracks project. (NAN)

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