By Augustine Ehikioya
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on Wednesday, 24 December 2025, performed the ground-breaking ceremony for Phase 2 of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks in Asokoro, Abuja.
A statement by Colonel Appolonia Anele, Acting Director Army Public Relations, and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA), said it marked a significant step toward sustainable housing solutions for Nigerian Army personnel.
The project, it said, followed the successful commissioning of Phase 1 in January 2025 and aligns with the COAS’s command philosophy of prioritising troop welfare and robust administration and formed the foundation for building a professional and combat-ready force.
Speaking at the ceremony, Lieutenant General Shaibu reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Army to addressing accommodation challenges nationwide, noting that the initiative reflects a strategic shift from short-term interventions to long-term, sustainable solutions.
He averred that the project comes at a time when the Nigerian Army is 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 Ahmed Tinubu.
The COAS emphasised that the project is 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.
General Shaibu expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed 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 is a direct physical manifestation of the Chief of Army Staff’s command philosophy, anchored on a “Soldier First” culture that prioritises troop welfare through a comprehensive support framework aimed at ensuring stability on the home front.
