The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, officially inaugurated and handed over five schools that underwent renovation in the Limawa Community of Dutse Local Government Area in Jigawa.

The project was carried out as part of the Chief of Army Staff’s Special Intervention Civil-Military Cooperation Projects.

Representing Lt. Gen. Lagbaja, Maj. Gen. N.C. Ugbo, the Chief of Military-Civil Affairs, explained that the initiative was a significant step towards the Nigerian Army’s commitment to community engagement and non-kinetic efforts. The project aimed to provide support to the communities where Nigerian Army officers, who have attained the rank of Major General through their dedicated service, reside.

Maj. Gen. Ugbo highlighted the completion of the renovated Limawa Model Primary School, which has been fully furnished and is now ready to serve the community. He emphasized the importance of effective management of the schools to contribute to the educational growth and prosperity of the benefiting community. Additionally, he acknowledged the commitment of the Nigerian Army to provide timely and actionable information to the army and other security agencies in the state.

Maj-Gen. Abdulkadir Muhammad, the Chief Executor of the project, revealed that initially, only one dilapidated school, Limawa Model Primary School, was proposed for renovation. However, during the project’s execution, four more dilapidated schools were identified and remodeled. The additional schools included Dutse Model Primary School Limawa, Limawa Primary School, Junior Arabic Secondary School Limawa, and Limawa Islamiyya School. The renovation work involved expanding 11 blocks of 25 classrooms, renovating offices, and improving facilities such as toilets and a borehole.

Governor Umar Namadi expressed his appreciation to the COAS for the gesture, stating that it would complement the state government’s efforts in creating an enabling environment for teaching and learning. He commended the chief executor of the project and assured that his administration, in collaboration with the benefiting community, would effectively utilize and protect the facilities to ensure access to quality education.

The Emir of Dutse, Hameem Nuhu-Sunusi, conveyed the gratitude of the Limawa community and Dutse Emirate to the Chief of Army Staff for the initiative. He also pledged to foster good working relationships with the military and other security agencies to maintain peace and order in the state and Nigeria as a whole.

As part of the project, educational materials, including school uniforms, were distributed free of charge to over 1,000 pupils in the area.