The Edo State Government says it will collaborate with the 4 Army Brigade Headquarters in the state to relocate its barracks at Ikpoba Hill to a more conducive place.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo disclosed this after inspecting the 4 Brigade Ikpoba Hill Barracks in Benin last Sunday.
The governor, accompanied by the Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Garba expressed displeasure with the dilapidated facilities at the barracks.
Obaseki said that it was imperative that officers and men of the Army live in an ideal and conducive environment.
He said that the Army needed better facilities for it to be able to strategise with other security agencies to tackle the insecurity challenges in the country.
“As you can see this is not an ideal place for military men to live.
“We are going to work with the Brigade to look at other property and other barracks to see how we can get land to relocate most of these facilities including the schools and health facility.
“I don’t think it is in the interest of the nation that our Army officers and men live under this condition,’’ he said.
Obaseki said his administration was currently partnering with some institutions on provision of social housing scheme that would allow Army officers and men live in decent accommodation.
The governor later proceeded to the Ekewuan barracks of the 4 Brigade where he also inspected facilities and noted that some facilities at Ikpoba barracks would be relocated there.
Among facilities inspected were the Army Day Primary and Secondary Schools, the Medical Centre, residential quarters and water facilities.
Obaseki  expressed concern over the vandalism of school facilities in the barracks, saying that he would call back the contractors handling rehabilitation in the school as the Brigade Commander had promised to reinforce security.
The governor condemned the encroachment by neighbouring communities into the barracks’ land, saying that the ministry of Lands, Urban and Regional Planning would be mandated to recover the land for the Army.
He ordered that structures built around a moat in Orovie community close to the Army barrack be demolished because it was against an existing law.
Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Garba expressed appreciation and promised to collaborate with the government to achieve the desired goals.