Army Sells Barracks Land To Public, Despite Accommodation Shortage

The Nigerian army has set up its property implied for barracks available to be purchased to the public to construct private homes and organizations, Daily Trust examinations have appeared.

This is coming at once the military is confronting intense lack of accommodation for its faculty.

Around four years prior, this newspaper detailed how the Army shared out to top military metal piece of a land implied for barracks in the Asokoro district, Abuja.

Examinations have demonstrated that the present land being referred to, Plot 2302, estimating around 248.19 hectares, is situated behind Mogadishu Cantonment. Its territory utilize is still "Public Institution (Military Formation).

Facilitate discoveries uncovered that the Federal Capital Territory distributed the land to facilitate the intense accommodation issues looked by officers and troopers working in Abuja.

In any case, this same land was given over to the Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL) by the Army boss to fabricate private homes available to be purchased to military work force at excessive costs.

The organization is building six classification of lofts that range from N11 million to N125 million which is said to be a long ways past the span of most of the staff.

The offer of the houses is being done by Asokoro Hills Estate, an auxiliary of NAPL, which as of now delivered flyers and application frames.

Reports inspected by Daily Trust demonstrate that a 6-room manor has a sticker price of N125 million; 5-room estate, N122 million; 4-room separated duplex, N81, 502,526, and 4-room semi-segregated duplex, N65, 090,965.

Four-room patio houses cost N50,418,707; 3-room semi-segregated duplex, N42.5 million; 3-room pads, N31,016,380; 2-room pads, N23,566,131and 3-room loft accord, N11 million.

Houses for fighters' welfare - Army

The change of the barracks land to private estate, as indicated by data in the application shape, "is in accordance with the mission and vision of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen TY Buratai, 'to assemble an expert and responsive Nigerian Army in the release of its protected parts' directed to the rebuilding of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL) as a worldwide business and speculation safe house of the Nigerian Army, military, para-military and general people."

Defending its activity, the army said "present day military arrangements, for example, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt and even the United States of America, have now made goliath walks in the business condition by changing from just war tasks to enterprise to better the welfare of its administration staff and to design their vocation for post-benefit advancement."

Offer of barracks arrive illicit - Officers

Some military officers who addressed Daily Trust on the condition that they would not be named for fear abuse, said the offer of the barracks arrive is unlawful, especially with the lack of accommodation by officers and men.

"Usually learning that the larger part of officers of Brigadier Generals and their youngsters, and all fighters working in Abuja share accommodation," an army officer said.

As indicated by another trooper, "In Niger Barracks, up to three brigadier officers share a 5-room duplex, while in different barracks like Mogadishu Cantonment, two warriors share a 2-room level with one living room, a kitchen and a can with individuals from their families.

"Tragically that the Army arrive reserved to facilitate this issue is currently offered available to be purchased to the two warriors and the public," the fighter said.

Another issue the military work force raised is the cost of the houses, which runs amongst N11 and N125 million each.

"Where is an officer going to get this measure of cash to purchase the house? Unless on the off chance that you are empowering debasement or the officers behind the undertaking will utilize their intermediaries to purchase," another officer said.

The officer said this "land snatching" isn't limited to Abuja as another Army barracks arrive called "Small scale Tiger Estate" at Alapata Ibadan is available to be purchased. Official archives demonstrate that the 151 plots of land at the Alapata estate is sold each at a level rate of N2.5 million to military staff and N5 million to regular people.

The offer of the land was passed on through an update dated April 12, 2018, under the heading 'Offer of plots of land at the Nigerian Army Mini Tiger Estate Alapata-Ibadan;' and marked by Brigadier General COA Idowu, in the interest of the COAS General Buratai.

Another military work force pondered: "Why is the Army progressive system unloading its barracks arrive notwithstanding the intense accommodation issue?

"Why is additionally the Army offering its territory and purchasing other landed properties, for instance, the as of late obtained Army accommodation in Kubwa running into countless Naira?"

The administration faculty included: "Are on the whole these monies held up in the Federal Government TSA, on the grounds that these military terrains are federal properties."

What Nigerian Army said

For near two weeks, Daily Trust attempted to get remarks for the story from the Nigerian Army Director of Public Relations, Brigadier General Texas Chukwu.

Our correspondent had sent the inquiries to the Army representative around 12 days back. He later addressed our columnist saying he was out of Abuja yet would have returned to the workplace start of a week ago.

Our journalist went to his office a week ago three times yet did not meet him despite the fact that he said he had come back to Abuja.

The previous evening, Brigadier General Chukwu, sent an instant message to our columnist, saying: "I don't comprehend what you implied that Army is auctioning off barracks arrive and to disclose to you Army's stand. I don't generally comprehend you. You're searching for a comment; for what reason not think for better inquiries. I have never heard or seen where Army is auctioning off barracks arrive in the entire Nigeria. Much obliged to you," the army representative said in the instant message.

How army arrive was partaken in 2014

On June 4, 2014, Daily Trust only detailed how part of a land that was implied for barracks in the Asokoro District was shared out by the Army to 439 recipients, for the most part mates, relations, companions, partners and organizations of senior Army authorities.

There are numerous resigned officers and additionally regular people on the rundown of those given assignments from the land.

Day by day Trust learnt that the Army cut piece of its own territory and shared it out to top military metal and others, clearly for them to manufacture private homes and organizations.

The then Chief of Army Staff General Kenneth Minimah and his antecedent General Azubuike Ihejirika were separately apportioned 2035.41sqm and 3909.35sqm of land.

The individuals who got portions alongside their spouses incorporate previous Chiefs of Defense Staff Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin and Admiral Ibrahim Ola Sa'ad, and additionally previous Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar.

Ihejirika's significant other, Gift, got Plot 4882 which is 2385.59sqm, while someone else named Oke Ihejirika was given 1,583.59sqm of land.

An organization named Goodok Oil and Gas, which got 7476.95sqm of land, was enrolled on April 12, 2012, with three chiefs bearing the 'Ihejirika; to be specific: Ihejirika Okechukwu, Ihejirika Chika, and Ihejirika Goodluck.

Current Chief of Army Staff at that point Major General Buratai, previous Chief of Defense Staff General Alexander Ogomudia, previous Minister of State for Defense Olusola Obada, counter-psychological oppression boss Major-General Sarkin-Yaki Bello and Major Hamza Al-Mustapha were likewise on the rundown, with different sizes of plot assignments.