Why Reps want Buratai to relocate barracks away from UNIMAID
The House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai, to relocate the Giwa Barracks in Galtimari, Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, 10km away from the University of Maiduguri.
The request followed the unanimous adoption of a motion moved by a member, Mr Satomi Ahmed, tilted ‘Need to Relocate Giwa Barracks to the Outskirts of Galtimari in Borno State.’
Adopting the motion, the House “urged the Chief of Army Staff to, as a matter of urgency, commence the process of relocating Giwa Barracks to the outskirts of Galtimari in the area laying between Bale Kura and Yawuri village or 10km away from the University of Maiduguri.”
The lawmakers also “urge the Chief of Army Staff to, after the relocation, donate the facilities in the barracks to the Borno State Government for use as training centre for the unemployed youths and victims of Boko Haram insurgency.”
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They further mandated the House Committees on Defence, Army and Appropriations to ensure compliance by including provisions for the relocation of the barracks in the 2020 budget estimates.”
Moving the motion, Ahmed recalled that the barracks was originally built as a military school for signals and communications but was later converted in 1979 to serve as the Office of the Brigade Commander of the 21 Armoured Brigade.
The lawmaker noted that the barracks had been attacked several times by Boko Haram insurgents as detainees in the barracks are mostly confirmed or suspected members of the sect and their relatives.
Ahmed said, “The population of Galtimari ward has over the time expanded and, therefore, the barracks is now surrounded by civilian settlements, which incidentally makes it prone to more attacks. The security challenges in the area makes the military and its formation the first target of Boko Haram insurgents thus endangering the lives of civilians around the barracks.”
