COAS Shaibu Pledges To Address Soldiers’ Accommodation Challenge

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has pledged to address soldiers’ accommodation challenges nationwide.

He made the pledge on Wednesday while performing the ground-breaking ceremony for Phase 2 of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks in Asokoro, Abuja.

A statement by the Army Spokesperson, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the flag-off marked a significant step toward sustainable housing solutions for Nigerian Army personnel.

He noted that the initiative reflected a strategic shift from short-term interventions to long-term, sustainable solutions.

According to the spokesperson, the project followed the successful commissioning of Phase 1 in January 2025 and aligned with the COAS’s command philosophy of prioritising troops’ welfare and robust administration formed the foundation for building a professional and combat-ready force.

Lt.-Gen. Shaibu averred that the project comes at a time when the Nigerian Army was intensifying efforts to address the acute accommodation challenges faced by its personnel, in line with the resolve to complete all ongoing residential projects while initiating new ones.

He explained that Phase 2 is an entirely new barracks, distinct from Phase 1 commissioned by President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Tinubu.

The Army Chief emphasised that the project was central to the “Soldier First” concept, which prioritises the welfare and living conditions of troops. “Upon completion, the barracks will provide secure and dignified accommodation for personnel and their families, enhance unit cohesion and strengthen the Army’s operational effectiveness,” the statement added.

General Shaibu expressed profound gratitude to President Tinubu for his relentless support and funding of the project and reaffirmed the unalloyed loyalty of the officers and men of the Nigerian Army to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Earlier, the Coordinator, Nigerian Army Special Projects, Major General Bayode Adetoro, disclosed that while Phase 1 accommodated 614 personnel, Phase 2 is projected to house approximately 1,800 personnel.

Major General Adetoro stated that the project was a direct physical manifestation of the Chief of Army Staff’s command philosophy, anchored on a “Soldier First” culture that prioritises troops’ welfare through a comprehensive support framework aimed at ensuring stability on the home front.