The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has commissioned 30 family accommodation units at Ribadu Cantonment, Kaduna, as part of ongoing efforts by the Nigerian Army to improve the welfare and living conditions of its personnel and their families.
The newly completed facilities, comprising two blocks of family housing units, are expected to ease pressure on existing accommodation within the cantonment and provide a more conducive living environment for military families.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Thursday, September 24, 2026, Shaibu said decent accommodation remained a critical component of personnel welfare and effective administration under his Command Philosophy.
He noted that the wellbeing of soldiers and their families had a direct bearing on their morale, motivation and operational effectiveness, particularly as the Nigerian Army continues to expand its force structure and operational responsibilities.
The COAS said the growth in the Army’s personnel and operational reach must be matched by sustained investment in infrastructure and welfare facilities capable of supporting troops and their families.
According to him, Ribadu Cantonment accommodates several Army establishments, making the additional housing units important in reducing pressure on existing accommodation.
Shaibu urged beneficiaries to take ownership of the facilities and ensure their proper use and maintenance. He also disclosed that similar accommodation projects were ongoing in barracks and cantonments across the country as part of the Army’s broader infrastructure development and renewal programme.
He said the programme was aimed at rehabilitating ageing facilities and providing additional infrastructure to meet the changing needs of personnel.
The COAS also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing resources and 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 housing project as timely and capable of boosting personnel morale.
Wase assured that the facilities would be properly utilised and maintained.
The commissioning is part of the Nigerian Army’s continuing efforts to strengthen personnel welfare through improved accommodation and infrastructure across its formations and units nationwide.
