The Nigerian Army has announced that plans are ongoing to build befitting personal homes for all soldiers fighting insecurity in the country.

It also said premiums paid to beneficiaries of various insurance schemes to cater for troops’ dependents in any eventuality have been doubled without any corresponding increase in contributions.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, made this known at the opening of the First Quarter Chief of Army Staff Conference 2024 in Abuja on Tuesday, April 16. Lagbaja, a three-star general, explained that the Nigerian Army is implementing new welfare initiatives to boost and improve the morale of troops.

He said the Affordable Home Ownership Option for All Soldiers (AHOOAS) is one such measure, aimed at alleviating the hardship soldiers encounter in securing personal accommodation during post-service life.

The army chief said he had directed the Post-Service Housing Development Limited (PHDL) to set aside five per cent of the AHOOAS Scheme in each estate for allocation to soldiers with operational-related disabilities.

He noted that this is a way of making the scheme inclusive and sensitive to the plight of soldiers with such challenges, adding that the Nigerian Army will cover all the housing expenses at 100 per cent for the soldiers.