Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai has clarified controversy surrounding the thousands of acres of land acquired for the Muhamnadu Buhari Cantonment along airport road in Abuja.
His clarification came against the backdrop of protests by youths and indigenes of FCT along the Abuja Airport road severally including one on Tuesday when Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo was on his way to the Airport.
The COAS who spoke during the Ground breaking and foundation laying for the construction of Army Command Estate as well as headquarters, directorate of legal services (Army), disclosed that the parcel of land was officially granted to the Nigerian Army in 1979.
“We (Nigerian Army) got the official allocation with Right of Occupancy in 1997 from the FCT administration.
“In year 2011, when all lands were revoked by the FCT ministry, and all lands asked to be recertified, we duly recertified the land and paid all our dues required and necessary.
“That is to say we have duly met all requirements. We formerly named this cantonment as Muhammad Buhari cantonment in 2017.
“So any move to disrupt our activities here is going to be fruitless because we have all the legal backing and relevant approved documentations.
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“If anybody has any complain in respect of this land, let them report to the appropriate federal ministries. They should not allow themselves to be decieved.
“They should not take the laws into their hands by blocking roads. I am happy that they have seen reason and left the road” the COAS said.
Listing the Departments and formations that would co-habitate at the cantonment, Buratai said they include Nigerian Army Aviation Command, Nigerian Army Women Corps, Nigerian Space Command, SAPPARS Engineer Command, Nigerian Army Forms and Ranches Command and its pilot project and some other projects that are being worked out.
The COAS pointed out that all the projects had been budgeted for in the 2017 and 2018 budgets even as he thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for continued support to the Army.
On constitutional responsibilities to the country, Buratai said, “Our country must remain united and secured. We must ensure we support the sustenance of democracy.
“We (Army) must defend democracy. We are much more better off under democratic dispensation. We must therefore ensure that we perform our constitutional responsibilities.
Regarding security challenges, the COAS said, ” The challenges we are facing in the North East and other parts of the country will require us to be proactive and think out of the box, which we have are doing.
“We must ensure we stop the disharmony of those trying to disrupt the peaceful co-existence of the nation”.
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