The House of Representatives has called for the immediate completion of the abandoned Armed Forces of Nigeria Physical and Health School and Games Village in Esa-Oke, Osun State, intended to enhance the fitness and combat readiness of Nigerian troops.
This followed the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Oluwole Oke (APC, Osun), who lamented that despite budgetary allocations since 2008, the project had remained largely abandoned, denying the Armed Forces and surrounding communities the benefits intended from the initiative.
The lawmaker said the institution, modelled after the United States Army Physical Training School in South Carolina, was designed to provide state-of-the-art training facilities to improve the physical and mental preparedness of military personnel.
He added that its establishment was also expected to create employment, promote security, and engage the youth population in Esa-Oke and surrounding communities in Osun and Ekiti states.
Oke expressed concern that the stalled project has now degenerated into a hideout for criminals, posing a serious security threat to residents of the host communities.
He warned that the failure to complete the facility was detrimental to the physical conditioning of Nigerian troops and undermines the nation’s security architecture.
“The poor and derelict state of the school has turned it into an abode for criminals, inflicting pain and losses on the good people of Osun and Ekiti States. Urgent intervention is required to complete the project, as further delay will worsen the situation,” Oke stated.
The House, on adoption of the motion, urged the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, to immediately deploy personnel to secure the project site and begin preliminary activities.
It also called on the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Finance to release funds provided for the project in the current budget.
The lawmakers further mandated the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Budget Office of the Federation, and the National Planning Commission (NPC) to make adequate provisions for the project in the 2026 budget estimates.
