New formations aim at improving internal security – Buratai

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said on Monday that the creation of new formations across the country was part of strategies to address insecurity, as well as defending the nation’s territorial integrity.

Buratai said this in Yenogoa during the foundation laying ceremony for the construction of headquarters of 16 Brigade and Barracks in Bayelsa.

A copy of the army chief speech was made available to  Newsmen in Abuja.

The 16 Brigade Brigade, Yenagoa; 6 Division, Port Harcourt; 17 Brigade, Katsina; and 8 Division, Sokoto, are among new army formations established by the Nigerian Army Council in line with 2016 Order of Battle (ORBAT).

Buratai said the construction of the army Barracks in Yenagoa was part of the federal government’s commitment to improve welfare of troops and their families.
He commended the Bayelsa Government for the improvement in security situation in the state, which he attributed to synergy among various security agencies and the state government.

He thanked the state government for donating the land for the construction of the barracks.

Gov. Seriake Dickson said his administration placed high premium on security because “it is the foundation of development’’.

He said: “My vision for the state is to make it one of the foremost investment destinations in the country, and we can’t achieve this without security.
“I give credit to our security agencies and people of Bayelsa state for achieving the level of security in our state.’’

Dickson said the establishment of the 16 Brigade and construction of barracks would not only boost the security architecture of the state, but also improve its infrastructural development.