National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
By: Okosun Dennis
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Buratai has said that the Nigerian army remains a unifying factor for the nation as it has continued to form a brazen wall of protection for the citizens and against evil.
He spoke at Epe during the inauguration of reconstructed Epe Barracks on Thursday as part of the events marking the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) 2020.
The COAS, who was represented by the Corp Commander, Nigerian Army Engineers, Maj Gen John Malu, described the commissioning of the Epe Barracks which coincided with Nigerian Army’s 157th year of existence as “epoch-making event.”
Every 6th of July, Nigerian Army celebrates the ending of the Civil war that started on January 15 1967. However, the NADCEL 2020 is taking place in Katsina State.
Gen Malu explained, “This is an epoch-making event which is in tandem with the transformational leadership of the COAS. I believe that this reconstructed barracks will not only increase the reach and effectiveness of the Nigerian Army but will also increase the socio-economic fortunes of Epe Town and Lagos in general.
“Nigerian Army has lived up to its name as a unifying factor for the Nigerian nation and has continued to serve the nation and its citizens as a brazen wall of protection against evil and a lighthouse of hope amidst the storms of insecurity.”
Nationalwire learnt that the Epe barracks was abandoned for many years but it became expedite to reoccupy it following the recent expansion of the army from five Divisions to eight Divisions structure with several commands coming up, hence “the need to reoccupy those barracks that were close down.
“Consequent upon this, the COAS directed that the underdeveloped portions of the Epe Barracks be reoccupied,” Malu reiterated.
He further explained that the reoccupation was premised on two vital exigencies which included “the need to establish military presence in the general area of Epe, so as to beef up security and the second was the need to relocate some units and formations that had been affected by the expansion of railway project around Yaba, being undertaken by the present administration to improve that national transformation system.”
Earlier, the Director of Army Works, Brig Gen Mark Mamman who gave the summary of work done so far in the barracks said the remodelling works started seven months ago.
Adding that the facilities Commissioned included the Quarter Guard; Officers Mess; the married officers quarters; the Parade Ground; 985m fence; the 3x Storehouses; the Magazine, the Armoury; the official residence of the Commandant NASFA; the 1.8km road with concrete drainage; 19x CBQs and the Corporal below club.
With these facilities in place, it was gathered that the Nigerian Army School of Finance and Administration (NASFA) and 81 Base Ordnance Depot (BOD) are set to occupy the facilities immediately.
His Royal Majesty, Oba Kamarudeen Ishola Animashaun, the Oloja of Epeland, who unveiled the plaque at the administrative block, expressed joy and satisfaction with the quality of the ongoing work at the barracks noting that the Nigerian Army would continue to enjoy the cooperation of Epe indigenes.
However, it was learnt that the facilities were constructed by the Nigerian Army Engineers and the Nigerian Army Special Project (NASP) as Direct Labour Projects (DLP).
It would be recalled that the flagging off of reconstruction works at the barracks was carried by Lt Gen Tukur Buratai on the 23th July, 2020 which he described as a “grand-breaking event”.
The land for the barracks was acquired in 1970 and gazetted the same year but the acquisition of additional acreage over the next five years brought the total to 440 hectares by 1975.
However due to restructuring Nigerian Army went through
in 1990, galvanised into the merging of some units of the army while some barracks were closed down which included Epe Barracks.
Present at the commissioning ceremony were the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division Nigerian Army, Maj Gen Olu Irefin; Corp Commander, Ordnance, Maj Gen Akintade and other very senior officers, traditional rulers, chiefs and soldiers.
