By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has boosted efforts to improve the welfare of Nigerian Army personnel with the unveiling of 30 new family accommodation units at Ribadu Cantonment, Kaduna.
According to an official statement signed by the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the accommodation, comprising two blocks of family housing units, is designed to ease accommodation challenges and provide a conducive living environment for personnel and their families.
Speaking at the unveiling on Thursday, September 24, 2026, Shaibu said decent accommodation remained a key component of personnel welfare under his Command Philosophy, stressing that the wellbeing of soldiers and their families has a direct bearing on morale, motivation and operational effectiveness.
The COAS said the need for improved infrastructure had become more important as the Nigerian Army expands its force structure and operational reach, adding that such expansion must be matched with corresponding investments in accommodation and other welfare facilities.
He noted that Ribadu Cantonment accommodates several Army establishments and expressed optimism that the new housing units would help reduce pressure on existing accommodation.
Shaibu also disclosed that similar projects were ongoing in barracks and cantonments across the country to rehabilitate ageing infrastructure and provide additional facilities for personnel.
He charged beneficiaries to take ownership of the facilities and ensure their proper use and maintenance, while appreciating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his continued support towards improving the welfare and living conditions of Nigerian Army personnel and their families.
Earlier, the General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Abubakar Muhammed Wase, commended the COAS for prioritising troops’ welfare, describing the project as timely and morale-boosting. He assured that the facilities would be properly utilised and maintained.
