The Nigerian military has disclosed plans to change the Nigerian Army Institute of Technology and Environmental Studiesm, NAITES, to a military university.

The school will now be known as the Nigerian Army University of Technology and Environmental Studies, NAUTES, when the plan is fully implemented, making it the second military university in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Defense Academy, NDA, in Kaduna is currently the only military university in Nigeria.

The rector of the technology and environmental institute, Clement Ojo, told PREMIUM TIMES that the change will take full effect when the committee that was set up to effect the transition submits its report and it is approved by the convening authority.

“The committee is to submit some essential documents to the National Universities Commission, NUC. When that is done, the school will then reflects the new designation,” Mr. Ojo, a brigadier general, said.

On the initial relocation of the school from Makurdi, Benue State to Biu in Borno State, the rector noted that the school has only partly moved to Biu, Borno State.

“The remaining movement will be gradual depending on availability of structures to accommodate all students. The Rector and other administrative staff have however moved fully”, Mr. Ojo added.

The army had earlier disclosed the commencement of the 2016/2017 academic session in Biu, after relocation from Benue.

The Borno State government had allocated 5000 hectares of land for the setting up of the school.

The NUC Director of Information, Public relations, Ibrahim Yakasai, also told PREMIUM TIMES that the army informed the commission of the intention to turn the school into a university.

“They came to us and we have given them a check list of what it requires to make the school a university. So if they go and do that and the government is ready to fund them, why won’t the school be a university?