The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of General Officers Commanding (GOCs) to the newly established Nigerian Army divisions as part of efforts to operationalise the new formations and strengthen the Army’s capacity to tackle Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
The appointments followed the earlier approval by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, for the establishment of four additional Army divisions aimed at expanding the Army’s operational footprint, enhancing command and control, and improving force projection across the country.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the Nigerian Army said the newly established divisions would immediately commence operations upon attaining Initial Operational Capability (IOC), while deliberate steps are being taken to achieve Full Operational Capability (FOC) through a phased implementation process.
According to the statement, the Army has also undertaken a comprehensive reorganisation of its divisional areas of responsibility to ensure greater operational efficiency and faster response to security threats nationwide.
Under the new operational arrangement, 1 Division Kaduna will be responsible for Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, while 2 Division Ibadan will oversee Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states. The 3 Division Jos will retain responsibility for Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states.
The newly established 5 Division, with headquarters in Makurdi, will cover Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states, while 6 Division Port Harcourt will oversee Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. The 7 Division Maiduguri will continue to be responsible for Borno and Yobe states, while 8 Division Sokoto will retain operational responsibility for Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Similarly, the newly established 9 Division, headquartered in Ilorin, will cover Kwara and Niger states, while the 10 Division, headquartered in Jalingo, will be responsible for security operations in the border areas of Taraba and Adamawa states.
The 81 Division Lagos will continue to oversee Lagos and Ogun states, while 82 Division Enugu will retain responsibility for Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states. The newly established 83 Division, with headquarters in Benin City, will assume responsibility for Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states when it becomes operational later in the year.
To provide leadership for the new formations, the COAS approved the deployment of experienced senior officers to key command positions.
Major General Yakubu Yahaya has been redeployed from the Headquarters Joint Task Force (North Central), Operation SAVANNA SHIELD, to Headquarters 9 Division, Ilorin, where he will serve as General Officer Commanding and Commander of Operation SAVANNA SHIELD.
Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife was redeployed from Headquarters 2 Division/Sector 3 Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, to Headquarters 10 Division, Jalingo, as General Officer Commanding.
Major General Moses Gara was appointed General Officer Commanding, 5 Division Makurdi, and Commander of Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE, while Major General Auwalu Mahmuda was redeployed from the Army Headquarters Directorate of Inspection and Compliance to assume duty as General Officer Commanding, 2 Division Ibadan.
In addition to the new divisional appointments, the Nigerian Army activated three new brigades to reinforce the expanded force structure.
Brigadier General A.O. Odubiyi, formerly of the Army Headquarters Operations Centre, was appointed Commander of the newly established 11 Brigade, Gboko. Brigadier General A.M. Haruna was posted from the Nigerian Army Armour School to command the newly created 29 Brigade, Kainji, while Brigadier General R.M. Aminu was redeployed from the National Defence College to command the 10 Brigade, Lafia.
Lieutenant General Shaibu congratulated the newly appointed commanders and charged them to provide visionary leadership, sustain operational momentum and uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and mission effectiveness in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The Army Chief reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, protecting the lives and property of law-abiding citizens, and supporting the attainment of enduring national peace and security.
He also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his continued support and strategic investment in strengthening the Nigerian Army, noting that the expansion of the force structure marks a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of the service.
According to the COAS, the newly established divisions will enhance command and control, improve operational coordination, strengthen border security, facilitate faster deployment of troops and resources, and boost the Nigerian Army’s ability to respond swiftly and decisively to emerging security threats across the country.
He expressed confidence that the expanded operational structure would further strengthen joint and multi-agency operations and contribute significantly to restoring lasting peace, stability and security across Nigeria.
