The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of General Officers Commanding (GOCs) to the newly established Nigerian Army divisions following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval for the expansion of the Army’s force structure from eight to 12 divisions.
The appointments, announced on Wednesday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, are part of efforts to strengthen the Nigerian Army’s operational capabilities, expand its footprint across the country, improve command and control, and enhance its capacity to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
According to the Army, the newly established divisions will commence operations upon attaining Initial Operational Capability (IOC), while measures are being implemented to achieve Full Operational Capability (FOC) in phases to ensure seamless deployment and operational continuity.
Under the new command structure, 1 Division Kaduna will oversee Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, while 2 Division Ibadan will be responsible for Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states. The 3 Division Jos will cover Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states.
The newly created 5 Division, headquartered in Makurdi, will oversee Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states, while 6 Division Port Harcourt will retain responsibility for Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. The 7 Division Maiduguri will cover Borno and Yobe states, while 8 Division Sokoto will continue to oversee Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Similarly, the new 9 Division in Ilorin will be responsible for Kwara and Niger states, while the newly established 10 Division in Jalingo will secure the border areas of Taraba and Adamawa states. The 81 Division Lagos will continue to cover Lagos and Ogun states, while 82 Division Enugu will remain responsible for Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states. The proposed 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 redeployed Major General Yakubu Yahaya from Headquarters Joint Task Force (North Central), Operation SAVANNA SHIELD, to Headquarters 9 Division, Ilorin, as General Officer Commanding and Commander of Operation SAVANNA SHIELD.
Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife was posted from Headquarters 2 Division/Sector 3 Joint Task Force, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, to Headquarters 10 Division, Jalingo, as General Officer Commanding, while Major General Moses Gara moved from Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE to Headquarters 5 Division, Makurdi, where he assumes the dual role of GOC and Commander of Operation WHIRL STROKE.
Also appointed was Major General Auwalu Mahmuda, who was redeployed from the Army Headquarters Directorate of Inspection and Compliance to Headquarters 2 Division, Ibadan, as General Officer Commanding.
As part of the restructuring, the Nigerian Army also activated three new brigades. Brigadier General A.O. Odubiyi was appointed Commander of the newly established 11 Brigade, Gboko; Brigadier General A.M. Haruna will head the new 29 Brigade, Kainji; while Brigadier General R.M. Aminu takes command of the newly established 10 Brigade, Lafia.
Lieutenant General Shaibu congratulated the newly appointed commanders and urged them to provide visionary leadership, sustain operational momentum and uphold 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 approving the establishment of the additional divisions, describing the decision as a historic milestone in the transformation of the Nigerian Army and a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening the nation’s defence architecture.
According to him, the expanded force structure will enhance command and control, improve operational coordination, strengthen border security, facilitate faster deployment of troops and resources, and increase the Army’s capacity to respond effectively to emerging security threats across the country. He added that the new divisions would also bolster joint and multi-agency operations in support of lasting peace and national stability.
