Date set for Army university enrollment

The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Burata, has said that the Army University is expected to commence academic activities before the end of the year.

Mr Buratai told media executives in Abuja on Thursday that the university would run courses in the sciences and humanities and that admission would be in the ratio of 30 per cent military and 70 per cent civilian, with a civilian vice-chancellor.

He said the army had been holding discussions with the National Universities Commission, Federal Ministry of Education, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Education Trust Fund.

“The Army University is taking shape. Before the end of the year, the university will take off; courses have been identified in the sciences and humanities and we are waiting for the necessary guidelines to be released.

“The university will be civilian-driven in terms of admission and we expect Education Trust Fund to provide the necessary funding while the army makes available the needed support,’’ the army chief said.

Commenting on the shooting incident near Maiduguri International Airport by some soldiers recently, Mr Buratai described the behaviour as “unimaginable’’ by soldiers who were supposed to be disciplined troops.

He said the incident had been thoroughly investigated and that those involved would be dealt with in accordance with military laws.

“Troops had been moved around from different locations such as Bama; why should their own be different? This behaviour will not be tolerated,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the troops deployed at the Maiduguri Airport were redeployed to Marte, following Mr Buratai’s directive, in a bid to strengthen security in the city.

The army explained that the redeployment became expedient after a recent assessment of the security situation by the Theatre Command.

It said some soldiers misunderstood the process, became agitated and reacted by firing into the air.

On those acting as informants to Boko Haram insurgents, Mr Buratai said that some of them had been identified and court martialled.

He, however, said that even with the stability so far recorded, the army was not resting on its oars.

“We are not resting on our oars; there are bad eggs in the army just like elsewhere.

“But we believe that everyone in the army should uphold the ethics and if soldiers decide to go against it, we will deal with them in accordance with military laws,” the chief of army staff said.