By George Ozalla
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of General Officers Commanding (GOCs) for four newly established Nigerian Army divisions following presidential approval for the expansion of the Army’s force structure.
The appointments come after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, approved the establishment of four additional divisions as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the Nigerian Army’s operational capacity, improve command and control, expand its presence across the country, and enhance its response to emerging security challenges.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the newly created divisions will commence operations in phases, beginning with the attainment of Initial Operational Capability (IOC) before progressing to Full Operational Capability (FOC) to ensure a seamless transition and sustained operational effectiveness.
As part of the restructuring, the Army has also reviewed the operational responsibilities of its divisions across the country.
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 retain responsibility for Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states.
The newly established 5 Division, headquartered in Makurdi, will be responsible for Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states, while 6 Division, Port Harcourt, will cover Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. The 7 Division, Maiduguri, will oversee Borno and Yobe states, while 8 Division, Sokoto, will retain responsibility for Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Also, the newly established 9 Division, with headquarters in Ilorin, will cover Kwara and Niger states, while the 10 Division, headquartered in 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 the 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 this year.
To lead the new formations, the COAS approved the appointment of Major General Yakubu Yahaya as General Officer Commanding 9 Division, Ilorin, and Commander of Operation SAVANNA SHIELD. Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife was deployed to head the newly established 10 Division in Jalingo, while Major General Moses Gara was appointed General Officer Commanding 5 Division, Makurdi, and Commander of Operation WHIRL STROKE.
The Army also redeployed Major General Auwalu Mahmuda from the Army Headquarters Directorate of Inspection and Compliance to serve as General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Ibadan.
In addition, three new brigades were activated to strengthen the expanded force structure. Brigadier General A.O. Odubiyi was appointed Commander of the newly established 11 Brigade, Gboko; Brigadier General A.M. Haruna will head the 29 Brigade, Kainji; while Brigadier General R.M. Aminu takes command of the 10 Brigade, Lafia.
Lieutenant General Shaibu congratulated the newly appointed commanders and urged them to provide purposeful leadership, sustain operational momentum and uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and mission effectiveness.
He reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty, protecting lives and property, and supporting national peace and security.
The Army Chief also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his continued support and strategic investment in expanding the Army’s operational capabilities, describing the establishment of the additional divisions as a major milestone in the ongoing transformation of the Nigerian Army.
He noted that the expansion would strengthen command and control, improve operational coordination, enhance border security, enable faster deployment of troops and resources, and boost the Army’s capacity to respond more effectively to evolving security threats across the country. He added that the expanded force structure would also reinforce joint and multi-agency operations in support of lasting peace and national stability.
