The Nigerian Army has commenced the construction of an additional training depot at Amasiri-Edda in Afikpo and Edda Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and expand military training capacity nationwide.
The groundbreaking ceremony, held on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, was performed by the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr (Builder) Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. The project followed a directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, aimed at ensuring equitable distribution of military infrastructure across the country.
Governor Nwifuru expressed deep appreciation to President Tinubu and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General W. Shaibu, for approving the establishment of the training depot in Ebonyi State. He said the facility would boost recruitment opportunities for youths in the state and the wider South-East region, while also contributing to peace, security and socio-economic development.
Representing the COAS, the General Officer Commanding 82 Division Nigerian Army and Commander, Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDO KA, Major General Oluremi Fadairo, commended the host communities for their cooperation and support. He noted that the new depot aligns with the President’s vision of inclusive national representation within the Armed Forces and the equitable spread of military institutions.
Major General Fadairo urged youths in the South-East to take advantage of the opportunity by actively filling their recruitment quotas into the Nigerian Army, stressing that equal opportunities exist for all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. He added that modern security challenges require strong collaboration between the military and host communities, assuring that the Amasiri-Edda training depot would serve as a catalyst for stability, development and enhanced civil-military relations.
The event also featured the formal handover of land documents by Governor Nwifuru to the Nigerian Army. The documents were received on behalf of the COAS by the Chief of Training (Army), Major General V. U. Okoro, followed by the symbolic laying of foundation blocks.
With the establishment of the Depot Nigerian Army, Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State, the total number of Nigerian Army training depots has risen to three: the pioneer depot in Zaria established in 1924, the Depot Nigerian Army, Osogbo, established in 2025, and the newly approved Ebonyi facility. The development underscored the Nigerian Army’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property while expanding its training infrastructure to meet evolving national security needs.
