By Zainab Bakare
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of General Officers Commanding for newly established Nigerian Army divisions.
The appointments follow President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the establishment of four additional divisions.
According to a statement by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the expansion is aimed at strengthening the Army’s force structure, improving command and control and expanding its operational presence across the country.
The move is also expected to improve the Nigerian Army’s ability to respond to evolving security challenges.
New Divisions to Begin Operations
The newly established divisions will begin operations after attaining Initial Operational Capability.
The Army says measures are already being implemented to enable the formations to gradually attain Full Operational Capability.
The phased approach is expected to ensure operational continuity and support faster deployment of troops and resources across the country.
Army Reorganises Areas of Responsibility
Under the new structure, the 1 Division in Kaduna will cover Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states.
The 2 Division in Ibadan will oversee Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states, while the 3 Division in Jos will cover Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states.
The newly established 5 Division, headquartered in Makurdi, will be responsible for Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states.
The 6 Division in Port Harcourt will cover Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
The 7 Division in Maiduguri will oversee Borno and Yobe states, while the 8 Division in Sokoto will retain responsibility for Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
The new 9 Division, headquartered in Ilorin, will cover Kwara and Niger states.
The 10 Division in Jalingo will be responsible for security operations in the border areas of Taraba and Adamawa states.
The 81 Division in Lagos will continue to oversee Lagos and Ogun states, while the 82 Division in 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 it becomes operational later this year.
New GOCs Appointed
Major General Yakubu Yahaya has been appointed General Officer Commanding of the 9 Division in Ilorin.
He will also serve as Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Savannah Shield.
Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife has been appointed General Officer Commanding of the 10 Division in Jalingo.
Major General Moses Gara will lead the 5 Division in Makurdi and also serve as Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke.
Major General Auwalu Mahmuda has been appointed General Officer Commanding of the 2 Division in Ibadan.
Three New Brigades Activated
The Nigerian Army has also activated three new brigades to strengthen the expanded force structure.
Brigadier General A.O. Odubiyi has been appointed Commander of the 11 Brigade in Gboko.
Brigadier General A.M. Haruna will command the 29 Brigade in Kainji, while Brigadier General R.M. Aminu has been appointed Commander of the 10 Brigade in Lafia.
COAS Charges New Commanders
Lieutenant General Shaibu congratulated the newly appointed commanders and urged them to provide effective leadership.
He charged them to sustain operational momentum and uphold professionalism, discipline and mission effectiveness.
The Chief of Army Staff said the new divisions would improve command and control, strengthen border security and support faster responses to emerging threats.
He added that the expanded force structure would strengthen joint and multi-agency operations and contribute to national peace and security.
Lieutenant General Shaibu also thanked President Tinubu for supporting the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s operational capabilities.
According to the statement, the additional divisions represent a major step in strengthening Nigeria’s national defence and security architecture.
