The Nigerian Army has appointed General Officers Commanding (GOC) for four newly created divisions following President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the creation of additional formations.
The appointments, approved by Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, are part of a larger restructure of the Army’s operational organization aimed at expanding its footprint, improving command and control, and increasing force projection across the country.
To lead the new formations, the COAS chose Maj. Gen. Yakubu Yahaya as GOC, 9 Division, Ilorin, and commander of Operation Savannah Shield.
Maj Gen Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife has been named GOC 10 Division, Jalingo, while Maj Gen Moses Gara will lead the 5 Division, Makurdi, as both General Officer Commanding and Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke.
Maj Gen Auwalu Mahmuda was also redeployed to lead the 2nd Division in Ibadan.
In addition, the Army launched three new brigades to support the new divisions. Brig. Gen. A.O. Odubiyi was appointed commander of the newly formed 11th Brigade in Gboko; Brig. Gen. A.M. Haruna will command the 29th Brigade, Kainji, while Brig. Gen. R.M. Aminu has been assigned to lead the 10th Brigade, Lafia.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by Col. Appolonia Anele, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, the newly formed divisions will begin operations once they have achieved initial operational capability, while attempts to acquire full operational capability continue.
“The newly established divisions will immediately commence operations in the respective locations on attainment of Initial Operational Capability (IOC), while deliberate measures are being implemented to progressively attain Full Operational Capability,” the statement read.
Congratulating the newly appointed commanders, Shaibu urged 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.”
He emphasized the Nigerian 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.”
The army boss also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for approving the expansion of the army’s force structure.
He described the creation of the new divisions as “a historic milestone in the transformation of the Nigerian Army,” adding that it reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s defense architecture.
Shaibu also stated that the expanded force structure 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 optimism that the new formations will strengthen collaborative and multi-agency operations, reinforce national stability, and help to restore long-term peace and security across the country.
According to the new organization, the newly constituted 5th Division, headquartered in Makurdi, will oversee Benue, Nasarawa, and Kogi states, while the 9th Division, located in Ilorin, will handle Kwara and Niger.
The 10th Division, headquartered in Jalingo, would be in charge of Taraba and Adamawa states, while the 83rd Division, headquartered in Benin City, will oversee Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa states once activated later this year.
The Army also looked into the operational tasks of existing divisions.
The 1 Division, Kaduna, will now manage Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states; the 2 Division, Ibadan, will cover Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo states; and the 3 Division, Jos, will be in charge of Plateau, Bauchi, and Gombe states.
Similarly, 6 Division Port Harcourt will be in charge of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states; 7 Division Maiduguri will continue to be in charge of Borno and Yobe states; 8 Division Sokoto will be in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara states; 81 Division Lagos will be in charge of Lagos and Ogun states; and 82 Division Enugu will be in charge of Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, and Imo states.
