By Odita Sunday
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of General Officers Commanding (GOCs) for the newly established Nigerian Army divisions, as part of a major reorganisation aimed at strengthening the Army’s operational capacity and response to security challenges across the country.
The appointments followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval for the establishment of four additional Army divisions to expand the Service’s operational footprint, enhance command and control, and improve force projection nationwide.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, the newly created divisions will commence operations upon attaining Initial Operational Capability (IOC), while measures are being put in place to achieve Full Operational Capability (FOC).
As part of the restructuring, the Army also reviewed the areas of responsibility of its divisions. Under the new arrangement, 1 Division Kaduna will cover Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, while 2 Division Ibadan will be responsible for Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states. Three Division Jos will oversee Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states.
The newly established 5 Division, headquartered in Makurdi, will take charge of Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states, while 6 Division Port Harcourt will oversee Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. Seven Division Maiduguri will retain responsibility for Borno and Yobe states, while 8 Division Sokoto will continue to cover Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
The newly created 9 Division, with headquarters in Ilorin, will oversee Kwara and Niger states, while 10 Division, headquartered in Jalingo, will be responsible for border areas in Taraba and Adamawa states. Eighty-One Division Lagos will continue to cover 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 oversee Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states upon activation later this year.
To lead the new formations, the COAS appointed Major General Yakubu Yahaya as General Officer Commanding (GOC), 9 Division and Commander, Operation Savannah Shield; Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife as GOC, 10 Division, Jalingo; and Major General Moses Gara as GOC, 5 Division, Makurdi, alongside his appointment as Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke.
Similarly, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda was redeployed to serve as GOC, 2 Division, Ibadan.
The Army also activated three new brigades to reinforce the expanded force structure. Brigadier General A.O. Odubiyi was appointed Commander of 11 Brigade, Gboko; Brigadier General A.M. Haruna will head 29 Brigade, Kainji; while Brigadier General R.M. Aminu takes command of 10 Brigade, Lafia.
Lieutenant General Shaibu congratulated the newly appointed commanders and urged them to provide effective leadership, sustain operational momentum and uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and mission effectiveness.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty, defending the lives and property of citizens and supporting national peace and security.
The Army Chief also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for supporting the expansion of the Army’s force structure, describing the establishment of the new divisions as a historic milestone in the transformation of the Nigerian Army.
He said the additional divisions would enhance command and control, strengthen border security, improve operational coordination, facilitate faster deployment of troops and resources, and boost the Army’s capacity to tackle emerging security threats across the country.
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