The Nigerian Army has initiated a comprehensive, nationwide campaign to reclaim, secure, and preserve its landed properties. This strategic move is designed to create the physical foundation necessary for constructing new barracks and critical infrastructure, directly supporting the service’s expanding force structure and long-term operational readiness.
Announced by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, during the groundbreaking ceremony for Phase II of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks in Asokoro, Abuja, this policy underscores a critical shift from ad-hoc land management to a deliberate, forward-looking strategy.
The Strategic Imperative: Land as a Foundational Military Asset
Lt.-Gen. Shaibu framed land preservation not as a mere administrative task, but as a “strategic requirement” for implementing the Army’s Order of Battle (ORBAT). The ORBAT is the formal structure of the military, detailing its units, equipment, and command relationships. For it to be effective, the physical locations—barracks, training grounds, depots, and headquarters—must be secured in advance.
“The Nigerian Army Order of Battle cannot be fully implemented without adequate projection for future force locations,” Shaibu stated. This highlights a core principle of military logistics: you cannot deploy or effectively house a growing force without pre-secured, suitable land. Encroachment on military lands, a common issue in rapidly urbanizing areas, directly undermines this planning, compromising both troop welfare and the ability to respond swiftly to security threats.
A Multi-Pronged Approach to Securing Assets
The Army’s plan involves several key actions:
- Recovery and Protection: Commanders at all levels have been directed to actively protect Army lands from encroachment. This implies a more assertive stance in identifying and legally reclaiming parcels that have been illegally occupied or sold.
- Documentation and Gazetting: The COAS specifically tasked the Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL) with ensuring all land documents, especially Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O), are properly preserved and, crucially, gazetted. Gazetting is the official publication of a legal notice, which serves as incontrovertible public record of ownership, making future disputes far more difficult for encroachers to win.
- Future Force Projection: The directive requires the Army to project its spatial needs years or decades ahead, aligning land acquisition with anticipated growth in personnel and equipment, thereby avoiding a costly scramble for space later.
The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks: A Case Study in Modernization
The announcement’s setting—the groundbreaking for Phase II of a major barracks project—serves as a tangible example of this strategy in action. Phase I, inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu in January, houses 614 personnel. The newly launched Phase II is projected to accommodate approximately 1,800 personnel, representing a significant scaling of capacity.
Lt.-Gen. Shaibu urged that the construction adhere to “global best practices,” suggesting a move away from sparse, utilitarian quarters toward modern facilities that enhance quality of life, morale, and retention. The Coordinator of Special Projects, Maj.-Gen. Bayode Adetoro, noted the project reflects the Army’s resolve to “institutionalise sustainable welfare initiatives.” This connection is vital: securing land is the first step in delivering on the promise of improved welfare through better housing and infrastructure.
Broader Implications for National Security and Urban Planning
This land initiative has implications beyond the Army’s fence lines:
- Enhanced Operational Effectiveness: Properly located and secured barracks enable faster mobilization and deployment of troops in response to internal security challenges.
- Economic and Community Impact: Large-scale military construction projects stimulate local economies through job creation and demand for materials. However, it also requires careful coordination with civilian town planning authorities to ensure harmonious development.
- Long-term Institutional Stability: By legally fortifying its asset base, the Army protects a key component of its institutional capital from generation to generation, ensuring future soldiers have the facilities they need.
In concluding his remarks, the COAS reaffirmed the Army’s loyalty to constitutional democracy, framing this logistical and infrastructural drive within the broader context of a professional military serving a stable nation. The symbolic laying of the foundation block thus marked more than the start of a building project; it represented a foundational step in a long-term strategy to physically anchor a modern, expanding, and effective Nigerian Army.
Source: NAN News
