President Bola Tinubu on Thursday inaugurated the newly constructed barracks in Abuja to accommodate officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army to address the shortage of accommodation.

The barracks named “Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks,” Asokoro, Abuja, comprise 16 major generals quarters, 34 brigadier generals quarters, 60 major-colonel flats, and 60 lieutenant-captain flats.

It also includes 180 senior non-commissioned officers’ blocks of flats, 264 corporal and below flats, worship centres, sports facilities, and a power house in the barracks.

In his remarks, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, said naming the new army barracks after Mr Tinubu was a way of ‘giving honour to whom honour is due.’

Mr Oluyede said it was in appreciation of his extraordinary support and commitment to improving the welfare and operational needs of the army, particularly in reducing its accommodation burden.

He said the project was initiated and executed by his predecessor, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, and the late Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja.

He said his predecessors recognised the critical need for additional accommodation for the increasing number of Nigerian Army establishments in Abuja.

Mr Oluyede said the two senior officers took the bold step to initiate the construction of the barracks.

“Today, we celebrate the visionary leadership and relentless effort that created the foundation for us to complete and commission this project. The project being commissioned today is only phases one and two of the original plan.

”In specific terms, the project comprises 16 major general quarters, 17 brigadier general quarters, 3×20 family majors to colonel quarters, 30×20 family lieutenants to captain quarters, and 60×30 family senior non-commissioned officer quarters,” he said.

Others he listed are 6×30 family corporals and below quarters, 40×21 corporals and below quarters.

Mr Oluyede said that the development translates to accommodation for 614 personnel, consisting of 170 officers and 444 soldiers and their families.

COAS thanked Mr Tinubu for his commitment and passion for ensuring that men and women in uniform have affordable, decent, and befitting accommodation to live in while in service.

He said the Nigerian army still faces an acute shortage of accommodation, which must be addressed as they continue to defeat insecurity nationwide and reintegrate frontline troops into the barracks.

“I am very confident that we can achieve this goal with the continued support from the federal governments and other stakeholders,” he said. 

(NAN)