The Gombe State Government has pledged support for the speedy take-off of newly established Nigerian Army formations in the state, including the 271 and 272 Tank Battalions.
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya gave the assurance when a delegation representing the General Officer Commanding, 3rd Armoured Division, Nigerian Army, visited the palace of the Mai Kaltungo, Engr. Saleh Mohammed.
Yahaya, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, thanked President Bola Tinubu for approving the establishment of the 271 Tank Battalion in Bajoga and 272 Tank Battalion in Kaltungo.
He said the formations would add capacity to Gombe’s security architecture and strengthen efforts to protect communities across the North-East, a region facing insurgency, banditry and other security threats.
The governor also commended the Federal Government and the state authorities for facilitating the conversion of the Snakebite Hospital in Kaltungo into a National Snakebite Research Centre.
Speaking earlier, the representative of the GOC, 3rd Armoured Division, and Commander, 301 Artillery Regiment, Gombe, Col. S.O. Bike, explained that the new formations formed part of the Nigerian Army’s expansion from eight to 12 divisions.
Bike, who leads the Technical Assessment Team, said the delegation was in Gombe to discuss arrangements for the commencement of operations of the 27 Armoured Brigade and its component units.
The formations include the 27 Armoured Brigade Garrison, 271 Tank Battalion and 272 Tank Battalion.
He said the assessment team also travelled to Kaltungo to inspect facilities earmarked for the initial deployment of the 272 Tank Battalion.
The team later visited a proposed temporary site at a private boarding school that has been designated to accommodate the battalion at the initial stage.
Bike expressed satisfaction with the facility and praised the Mai Kaltungo and residents for contributing to preparations for the military presence.
The assessment also identified about 90 hectares of land for the permanent development of the military facility. Accommodation for military officers was equally identified as part of the preparations.
The arrangements indicate that the Kaltungo battalion is being prepared to operate from an interim location while plans for a permanent military installation progress.
The Mai Kaltungo thanked Tinubu and Yahaya for supporting the establishment of strategic Federal Government institutions in the chiefdom.
He pledged the cooperation of the people of Kaltungo to the Nigerian Army and the newly created 272 Tank Battalion.
Njodi also acknowledged the traditional ruler’s contribution to the development of the chiefdom and initiatives aimed at improving residents’ welfare.
The establishment of the formations is coming as security agencies continue to contend with insurgency, banditry and related threats across parts of the North-East.
The proposed military expansion is therefore expected to provide additional operational capacity in Gombe, while the state government’s commitment to facilities and land could ease the transition from temporary deployment to permanent infrastructure.
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