The Nigerian Army has taken a major step to strengthen its operations across the country with the appointment of new General Officers Commanding (GOCs) to newly created divisions and the activation of three new brigades.
The move follows President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions as part of efforts to improve command and control, increase troop deployment and respond more effectively to the country’s growing security challenges.
The appointments and postings were approved by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, who said the new formations would play a key role in improving the Army’s operational effectiveness across Nigeria.
The Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, announced the development in a statement issued on Wednesday. She explained that the newly established divisions would begin operations after attaining their Initial Operational Capability (IOC), while measures were already in place to ensure they achieve Full Operational Capability (FOC) in due course.
According to her, the Army has also reorganised its divisional Areas of Responsibility to ensure better coordination of military operations and faster responses to security threats in different parts of the country.
Under the new structure, 1 Division, Kaduna, will now oversee military operations in Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states. The 2 Division, Ibadan, will be responsible for Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states.
The 3 Division, Jos, will continue to oversee Plateau State while extending its coverage to Bauchi and Gombe states.
One of the newly established formations, the 5 Division, Makurdi, will take charge of military operations in Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states. The division is expected to play an important role in tackling insecurity in the North-Central region, especially in areas affected by armed attacks, communal clashes and banditry.
Similarly, the 6 Division, Port Harcourt, will oversee Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, while the 7 Division, Maiduguri, will retain responsibility for Borno and Yobe states, the epicentre of the long-running insurgency in the North-East.
The 8 Division, Sokoto, will continue to supervise military activities in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, where troops have remained actively engaged in the fight against banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities.
The newly created 9 Division, Ilorin, will oversee Kwara and Niger states, while another new formation, the 10 Division, Jalingo, will be responsible for Taraba and Adamawa states.
The 81 Division, Lagos, will continue to cover Lagos and Ogun states, while the 82 Division, Enugu, will retain responsibility for Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states.
In addition, the Army announced that the newly established 83 Division, Benin City, will oversee Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states when it becomes operational later this year.
Alongside the creation of the new divisions, the Army announced the appointment of senior officers to lead the formations.
Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya has been redeployed to Headquarters 9 Division, Ilorin, as General Officer Commanding and Commander of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD.
Maj.-Gen. Chinedu Nnebeife has been posted to Headquarters 10 Division, Jalingo, as the General Officer Commanding.
Maj.-Gen. Moses Gara has been redeployed to Headquarters 5 Division, Makurdi, as General Officer Commanding and Commander of Operation WHIRL STROKE, a military operation focused on tackling insecurity in parts of the North-Central region.
Maj.-Gen. Auwalu Mahmuda has also been appointed the General Officer Commanding of the 2 Division, Ibadan.
To further strengthen the new formations, the Nigerian Army activated three additional brigades.
Brig.-Gen. A.O. Odubiyi has been appointed Commander of the 11 Brigade, Gboko, while Brig.-Gen. A.M. Haruna will command the 29 Brigade, Kainji. Brig.-Gen. R.M. Aminu has been named Commander of the 10 Brigade, Lafia.
The Chief of Army Staff congratulated the newly appointed commanders and urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them by providing effective leadership.
He charged them to sustain the momentum of ongoing military operations, uphold professionalism, maintain discipline and remain committed to protecting the country’s territorial integrity.
Lt.-Gen. Shaibu also reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty, protecting lives and property, and supporting other security agencies in maintaining peace and stability across the country.
He expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for approving the expansion of the Army’s operational structure, describing the decision as a major milestone in the ongoing transformation of the Nigerian Army.
According to him, the establishment of the additional divisions represents one of the most significant reforms in the Army’s recent history and will improve Nigeria’s overall defence architecture.
The Army Chief said the expanded force structure would strengthen joint military operations, improve operational coordination among formations and provide quicker responses to emerging security threats nationwide.
Nigeria has continued to battle several security challenges, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, kidnapping for ransom, violent attacks by armed groups in parts of the North-Central, oil theft in the Niger Delta and separatist violence in parts of the South-East.
Over the years, military authorities have repeatedly reviewed troop deployments and operational structures to match the changing nature of these threats. The creation of additional divisions is expected to reduce the burden on existing formations by bringing military command closer to operational areas.
The activation of the new divisions and brigades is therefore expected to improve operational flexibility, enhance intelligence gathering and ensure quicker deployment of troops whenever security threats arise.
With the latest expansion, the Nigerian Army hopes to improve its ability to respond rapidly to emerging threats while strengthening cooperation with the other services of the Armed Forces and other security agencies in protecting the country.