Olukolade speaks on benefits of Nigerian Army expansion

A former Director of Defence of Information, retired Major General Christopher Olukolade, has said that the expansion of the Nigerian Army to 12 divisions will significantly strengthen national security and improve operational effectiveness.

NAN reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday approved the expansion of the Army from eight divisions to 12 divisions.

Tinubu also approved the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to tackle evolving security challenges nationwide.

Olukolade described the decision as timely and strategic, saying it reflected the government’s commitment to strengthening military capacity against Nigeria’s complex and multifaceted security threats.

He said: “This development is desirable and most welcome because it offers enormous advantages in enhancing the military’s capacity to tackle Nigeria’s hydra-headed security challenges.”

He said the new force structure would increase operational coverage through additional divisions, brigades, battalions and troops, enabling the Army to sustain a stronger presence across vulnerable areas.

According to him, the expansion will also bring additional equipment, combat platforms, and operational vehicles, thereby increasing the Army’s firepower, mobility, and overall operational reach.

Olukolade said the Nigerian Army had remained operationally overstretched for years because of multiple internal security operations across different theatres of operation nationwide.

He said the new divisions would reduce prolonged deployments by enabling more frequent troop rotations, adequate rest periods, and retraining to improve morale and combat effectiveness.

The retired general said additional formations would also ensure faster military response to attacks, especially across ungoverned spaces and remote communities facing persistent security threats.

He said permanent Forward Operating Bases could now be established in Sambisa Forest, Lake Chad Basin, North West forests, and Oke-Ogun corridor instead of distant deployments.

Olukolade added that more divisional headquarters would strengthen civil-military relations by bringing military leadership closer to local communities affected by insecurity across the country.

He said the arrangement would improve intelligence gathering, early warning systems and operational coordination among the military, Police, NSCDC, and other security agencies.