A Nigerian Army Headquarters committee, led by Brig. Gen. K.O. Bukoye, Commander of 401 Special Forces Brigade and Sector 1 of Operation Whirl Stroke, has inspected a proposed Army Barracks site at Imande Dura in Turan District, Kwande Local Government Area, Benue State.
The inspection was led on the ground by Kwande Local Government Chairman and Benue ALGON Chairman, Vitalis Terhile Neji, who said his sustained efforts to address insecurity in Kwande drew state and federal attention, leading to the decision to site the barracks in Turan District.
He thanked Governor Hyacinth Alia and President Bola Tinubu for the intervention, urging community leaders to cooperate with the committee for speedy delivery of the project.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Turan Development Association (TUDA) President, Ahaa Bichi, endorsed Imande Dura as the site and thanked the chairman, governor and president for prioritising the community’s security concerns.
Maj. Gen. Raymond Utsaha, who oversees implementation of new Army divisions in three states including Benue, and Maj. Gen. M.K. Gara, pioneer General Officer Commanding of 5 Division, briefed traditional rulers on the barracks’ expected benefits and called for collaboration from elders and stakeholders. Utsaha said the barracks would help address the security situation in Kwande, including concerns around the Nigeria-Cameroon boundary, and pledged the Army’s commitment to expedite the project.