The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of General Officers Commanding (GOCs) to four newly established Nigerian Army divisions following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval for their creation. The development is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the Nigerian Army’s force structure, expand……
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of General Officers Commanding (GOCs) to four newly established Nigerian Army divisions following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval for their creation.
The development is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the Nigerian Army’s force structure, expand its operational footprint and enhance its capacity to respond to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the newly established divisions would commence operations in their respective locations upon attaining Initial Operational Capability (IOC), while measures would be implemented to progressively achieve Full Operational Capability (FOC).
She said the phased approach was designed to ensure “seamless operationalisation, operational continuity and rapid force projection across the country.”
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As part of the restructuring, the Army has also reorganised the areas of responsibility of its divisions.
Under the new arrangement, 1 Division, Kaduna, will oversee Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, while 2 Division, Ibadan, will cover Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states.
The 3 Division, Jos, will be responsible for Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states, while the newly established 5 Division, headquartered in Makurdi, will oversee Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states.
The 6 Division, Port Harcourt, will cover Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, while 7 Division, Maiduguri, will remain responsible for Borno and Yobe states.
The 8 Division, Sokoto, will retain responsibility for Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, while the newly established 9 Division, headquartered in Ilorin, will cover Kwara and Niger states.
The newly established 10 Division, Jalingo, will be responsible for 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, headquartered in Benin City, will cover Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states when activated later in the year.
For the leadership of the new formations, Major General Yakubu Yahaya has been redeployed from Headquarters Joint Task Force (North Central), Operation SAVANNA SHIELD, to 9 Division, Ilorin, as GOC and Commander, Operation SAVANNA SHIELD.
Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife has been redeployed from Headquarters 2 Division/Sector 3 Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, to 10 Division, Jalingo, as GOC.
Major General Moses Gara has also been redeployed from Headquarters Joint Task Force, Operation WHIRL STROKE, to 5 Division, Makurdi, where he will serve as GOC and Commander, Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE.
Major General Auwalu Mahmuda, meanwhile, has been redeployed from the Army Headquarters Directorate of Inspection and Compliance to 2 Division, Ibadan, as GOC.
The Army has also activated three new brigades as part of measures to strengthen the newly established formations.
Brigadier General AO Odubiyi has been appointed Commander, 11 Brigade, Gboko; Brigadier General AM Haruna will command 29 Brigade, Kainji, while Brigadier General RM Aminu has been appointed Commander, 10 Brigade, Lafia.
The COAS 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.
Shaibu reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to “safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria, protecting the lives and property of all law-abiding citizens and supporting the attainment of enduring national peace and security.”
He also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his support and strategic investment in expanding the Army’s operational capabilities.
According to him, the establishment of the additional divisions “represents a historic milestone in the transformation of the Nigerian Army” and reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s national defence architecture.
The COAS further said the new divisions would “significantly enhance command and control, improve operational coordination, strengthen border security, facilitate faster deployment of troops and resources and increase the Nigerian Army’s capacity to respond decisively to emerging and evolving security threats across the country.”
He expressed confidence that the expanded force structure would further strengthen joint and multi-agency operations, reinforce national stability and contribute to the restoration of lasting peace and security nationwide.
