President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially approved the establishment of a new Depot Nigerian Army (DNA) in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, a strategic move aimed at strengthening the nation’s defence infrastructure and expanding the Army’s training capacity.
The announcement was made on Saturday, December 13, 2025, by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, during the Passing Out Parade of 3,439 recruits from the 89 Regular Recruits Intake at the Depot Nigerian Army, Zaria in Kaduna State.
According to Lt. Gen. Shaibu, the new depot forms part of the Nigerian Army’s broader strategy to expand manpower, enhance operational readiness, and address evolving security challenges across all geopolitical zones of the country. He described the approval as a major step in ensuring a steady pipeline of well-trained, disciplined, and mission-ready soldiers.
Until this year, military recruit training was centralized at the century-old Depot Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State — established during colonial rule in 1924. Earlier in August 2025, President Tinubu also approved a second training depot in Osogbo, Osun State, marking the first Army recruit depot established outside the North since independence.
With the addition of the Abakaliki Depot, Nigeria now has three major Army training depots:
- Depot Nigerian Army, Zaria, Kaduna State – the primary training centre for decades.
- Depot Nigerian Army, Osogbo, Osun State – established in 2025.
- Depot Nigerian Army, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State – newly approved.
Military officials say the Abakaliki depot will initially train thousands of recruits in phases, with training curricula emphasizing marksmanship, fieldcraft, discipline, and tactical readiness tailored to modern operational demands. The facility is expected to enhance the Nigerian Army’s capability to deploy competent personnel effectively across internal and external theatres of operation.
The COAS also highlighted that the establishment of the new depot aligns with ongoing reforms aimed at modernizing Army training programs, improving recruit welfare, and strengthening the overall institutional capacity of the Nigerian Army.
The creation of the Abakaliki training depot underscores the federal government’s commitment to tackling Nigeria’s complex security landscape, which includes insurgency, terrorism, banditry, and other internal threats. Analysts believe that decentralizing recruit training across different regions will help shorten deployment times, diversify tactical expertise, and strengthen community ties.
President Tinubu’s approval has been welcomed by security stakeholders and community leaders who see the decision as a boost to both national security and local development in the Southeast. The depot is expected to generate employment opportunities, improve local infrastructure, and enhance military-civilian collaboration in the host community.
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