Muhammed Abubakar, Warri
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, following presidential approval from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the creation of four additional divisions.
The landmark development forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the Nigerian Army’s force structure, expand its operational footprint, enhance command and control, and improve the Service’s capacity to effectively respond to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
The newly established Divisions will immediately commence operations in their respective locations upon attainment of Initial Operational Capability (IOC), while deliberate measures are being implemented to progressively attain Full Operational Capability (FOC). This phased approach will ensure seamless operationalisation, operational continuity and rapid force projection across the country.
Comprehensive Reorganisation of Areas of Responsibility
Consequently, the Nigerian Army has undertaken a comprehensive reorganisation of its Divisional Areas of Responsibility. Under the new structure:
· 1 Division Kaduna will cover Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States
· 2 Division Ibadan will oversee Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States
· 3 Division Jos will cover Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States
· 5 Division Makurdi (newly established) will assume responsibility for Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States
· 6 Division Port Harcourt will cover Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States
· 7 Division Maiduguri will be responsible for Borno and Yobe States
· 8 Division Sokoto will retain responsibility for Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States
· 9 Division Ilorin (newly established) will cover Kwara and Niger States
· 10 Division Jalingo (newly established) will be responsible for security in the border areas of Taraba and Adamawa States
· 81 Division Lagos will continue to oversee Lagos and Ogun States
· 82 Division Enugu will retain responsibility for Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States
· 83 Division Benin City (newly established) will cover Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States when activated later in the year
Seasoned Officers Appointed as GOCs
To provide effective leadership for the new formations, the COAS has approved the appointment of seasoned senior officers as General Officers Commanding:
Major General Yakubu Yahaya has been redeployed from Headquarters Joint Task Force (North Central), Operation SAVANNA SHIELD, to Headquarters 9 Division, Ilorin, as the General Officer Commanding and Commander, Operation SAVANNA SHIELD.
Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife has been redeployed from Headquarters 2 Division/Sector 3 Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, to Headquarters 10 Division, Jalingo, as the General Officer Commanding.
Major General Moses Gara has been redeployed from Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE to Headquarters 5 Division, Makurdi, where he assumes the dual appointment of General Officer Commanding and Commander, Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE.
Major General Auwalu Mahmuda has been redeployed from the Army Headquarters Directorate of Inspection and Compliance to Headquarters 2 Division, Ibadan, as the General Officer Commanding.
In order to strengthen the newly established divisions, three new brigades were equally activated.
The restructuring represents one of the most significant organisational overhauls of the Nigerian Army in recent years, reflecting the military’s determination to adapt its force structure to meet the complex and dynamic security threats facing the nation.
