Lt. Gen. Buratai's Infrastructural Strides in the Nigerian Army

By Mike Msuaan

The assumption of office of Chief of Army Staff by Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai in July 2015 was a flip of a new and defining page in the Nigerian Army. Gen. Buratai, himself a core and disciplined soldier quickly settled down to address the disturbing problems that bedevilled the Nigerian Army. Assuming office at a time insurgency had eaten deep into the fabric of the nation, Gen. Buratai identified the major problems which were responsible for the poor performance of the Nigerian Army in the fight against insurgency that ravaged the country such as out dated weaponry or lack of modern weapons, irregular training and retraining of soldiers on modern warfare and most importantly the welfare of soldiers which will make them psychologically and physically fit to engage the insurgents.

The Chief of Army Staff has over the years exhibited uncommon determination to build institutions and infrastructure which will support the human development of personnel. He came with a vision to build a virile Nigerian Army, not only good for the trenches alone, but also deserving psychological and physical comfort life can offer so as to excel in the performance of their constitutional duties. Over time, Gen. Buratai has been able to rally both the federal and state governments as well as other public spirited individuals to assist in the infrastructural development of the Nigerian Army.

The determination of Gen. Buratai to build a versatile Nigerian Army was the idea behind the Nigeria Army University Biu, the first ever green University in Africa, with a mission to develop highly skilled military and civilian manpower with distinctive competence capable of providing technological solutions to the problems of the NA, the military and the nation. It is a conventional University with the aim of training young men/women with its vision and mission of becoming a solution centre in technology, research and development for the promotion of self-reliance, creativity and innovation in addressing the challenges of the NA, the military as well as the nation.

The Tukur Buratai Institute for War and Peace is another huge infrastructure built for training and capacity building for military personnel as well as civilians in counter terrorism and insurgency, peace building and construction. It has five cardinal objectives, which include research, counter terrorism and insurgency, cyber security, strategic communications and centre for museum and archives.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, also built and inaugurated the new office complex project, equipped with world class facilities with capacity to provide research based solutions, the new office complex for the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) is located in Abuja. The complex, Buratai said will serve as the service think-tank with national and global outlook and will have the mandate of providing research based solution to national security issues.
The centre is to collaborate with relevant agencies to organise seminars and workshops on national security as well as organise courses in different areas.According to Gen. Buratai, NARC is also collaborating with global institutions such as Kings College London, United Services of India and Harvard Kennedy School, US as well as Royal United Services Institute in London to carry out research.

“It is gratifying to be here to see the progress that has been made not only in the physical structure but indeed in the academic and intellectual exercise that has been carried out here at the resource centre " Buratai said.


Gen. Buratai on assumption of office, toured army formations across the country to personally access the physical infrastructure in army barracks and get firsthand information about the problems of welfare confronting soldiers. He was alarmed at the decay in army barracks and the acute shortage of office and residential accommodation for soldiers. Speaking while inspecting the barracks in some formations, Gen. Buratai decried the dilapidation, He Said “It is an unfortunate situation but over the years you can see the state of dilapidation and state of decay in the barracks. The soldiers are staying in a very bad accommodation, it is unfortunate but these are just the measures that we are taking to address the situation and we will continue to solicit for more support from government. The decay is enormous but thank God that in this year’s budget there is provision for barracks renovation.”

He promised to change the narrative for good. He proceeded to engage governments at all levels, particularly the Federal Government for immediate intervention. With this determination, there has been an aggressive renovation of barracks building of new offices and residential houses for personnel across the country. By this, Gen Buratai has placed personnel in the right frame of mind to defend the nation.

The Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Nigerian Army, Brigadier Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf, captured the mood and leadership focus of Gen. Buratai in these words, “enhancing the welfare of Nigerian Army personnel remains one of the cardinal points of the COAS vision” in order “…to have a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles’’.

But the Northeast is not the only region favoured by improved military infrastructure. Months back, Gen. Buratai commissioned projects at Elele Barracks, Rivers State at the activated 6 Division, Nigerian Army. Among the array of projects he commissioned were the Chief of Army Staff Guest House, constructed by the Rivers State Government and donated to the Nigerian Army; he unveiled Officers’ transit accommodation camp, the 6 Division’s Guests House and four blocks of 10 apartments for the Junior Non-commissioned Officers, in the Port Harcourt barracks. A similar action also took place in the Northwest, as Gen. Buratai commissioned a Nigerian Army unit in Daura town, Katsina state under the 1 Division Nigerian Army. It is a unit his administration has created and provided with take-off facilities to enhance security in the area. The Army Chief named the new army unit as the Fort Muhammadu Buhari Forward Operation Base, Daura, Katsina State and the new Army unit is in compliance with the Nigerian Army approved Order of Battle 2016 (ORBAT 2016) by the Army Council.

A similar action also took place in the Northwest, as Gen. Buratai commissioned a Nigerian Army unit in Daura town, Katsina state under the 1 Division Nigerian Army. It is a unit his administration has created and provided with take-off facilities to enhance security in the area. The Army Chief named the new army unit as the Fort Muhammadu Buhari Forward Operation Base, Daura, Katsina State and the new Army unit is in compliance with the Nigerian Army approved Order of Battle 2016 (ORBAT 2016) by the Army Council.

Again, Gen. Buratai also launched the newly built headquarters of the 331 Artillery Tactical Forward Operation Base (FOB) at his hometown Buratai in Biu local government area of Borno state. And at Okene, in Kogi State, the Army boss again commissioned a Forward Operation Base, military barracks. At the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, the development streak of the Nigerian Army berthed at Giri, where a new army cantonment also named Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment at Giri came on board. The cantonment is replete with fanciful structures to carter for both office and residential accommodation of soldiers.

Elsewhere, Gen. Buratai has ensured both renovation and construction of new accommodation for the Nigerian Army, as evident at the Nigerian Army School of Artillery in Kachia, Kaduna State, Office of the Military Secretary at the Army Headquarters Abuja and, the building of a new army barracks in Otukpo, Benue state.

No doubt, these accomplishments have been possible with Gen. Buratai’s prudent management of available scarce resources. Gen. Buratai has demonstrated probity, leadership and prudence in the utilization of resources and if the Federal Government improves the funding support to the Nigerian Army, Gen. Buratai would not only bequeath to Nigeria, an army disciplined, motivated and professional army, knowledgeable in modern warfare with modern weaponry but also an army whose living condition has been greatly improved thus making the personnel psychologically and physically fit while also living in a befitting and improved living condition.

Hon Mike Msuaan is the Convener Conference of Civil Society for Peace, Security and National Development

mtcheeew