Abuja Minister gives Defence College two years to move to permanent site

College asked to leave the heart of the city

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed, on Friday gave a two year ultimatum to National Defence College, NDC, to vacate the central part of the city.

The NDC, currently located at Area 10, Garki District is expected to move to its permanent site along the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway (Airport Road).

Mr. Mohammed said the continuous stay of the college in the heart of Abuja was an aberration considering the nature of its activities. He urged the college to accelerate the development of its permanent site to conform to the expectations of the Abuja Master Plan.

The Commandant, National Defence College, Patrick Agholor, who was at the Minister’s office to inform Mr. Mohammed of his posting to the college and subsequent resumption of duties, also disclosed that the college would soon commence its Course 22 programme.

Thanking the Commandant for his visit, Mr. Mohammed noted that the placing of the institution in the FCT had indeed added value to Abuja, especially now that there were some security challenges in some parts of the country. However, he promised to assist the institution to speak to the Minister of Defence in order to make necessary budgetary provision to complete the permanent site.

He said that in tune with the monetisation policy of the government, the houses earlier given to them to be used as participant dormitory would be sold to deserving Nigerians.