Senior military officers propose Aterayange in Ukum LGA as the preferred site for a permanent Army 5 Division barracks, part of a broader plan to secure Benue's troubled Sankera region.
Ukum, Benue State — August 6, 2026
The long-awaited plan to establish a permanent Nigerian Army 5 Division military barracks in Benue State has taken a significant step forward, with Aterayange in Ukum Local Government Area now proposed as the preferred site for the formation.
The proposal was put forward by Major General Raymond T. Utsaha, alongside the pioneer General Officer Commanding of the 5 Division, Major General Moses Gara, and other senior military officers, who said the strategic siting of the barracks at Aterayange would significantly strengthen security operations across the wider Sankera axis.
According to the military officials, the Aterayange site would serve as the central operational base for the division, while additional forward operating bases and smaller military detachments would be established in a number of vulnerable communities across the area, including Borikyo, Mbazun, Ugbaam, Uyam, Kundav, Mbatian, and other locations that have repeatedly come under threat.
The layered deployment strategy is designed to boost the military's overall presence in the area, improve rapid-response capacity during security incidents, support intelligence-led operations, and sustain ongoing counter-banditry and anti-kidnapping efforts.
Officials say the arrangement is also expected to create a safer environment for farmers and other residents, helping to support agricultural activity and stimulate economic recovery in communities that have suffered repeated disruption.
The Sankera region, comprising Katsina-Ala, Ukum, and Logo Local Government Areas has faced more than a decade of persistent insecurity, including armed banditry, kidnapping, and violent attacks that have displaced residents and disrupted farming across the area. Security stakeholders say a permanent barracks, backed by well-positioned forward units, would represent a major reinforcement of ongoing efforts to restore lasting peace to the axis.
If formally approved, the development would rank among the most significant security interventions in the Sankera region's recent history, and would complement broader security efforts already underway under Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia's administration, as well as federal initiatives led by President Bola Tinubu aimed at protecting lives and property across Benue State.
This is a developing story; further details on the barracks' approval and construction timeline are expected as the process advances.
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