The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of General Officers Commanding (GOCs) for newly created Nigerian Army divisions following the expansion of the Army’s command structure to strengthen security operations across the country.
The appointments come after President Bola Tinubu approved the establishment of four additional Nigerian Army divisions as part of efforts to enhance operational capacity, improve command and control, and strengthen responses to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
In a statement shared on the Nigerian Army’s official X account on Wednesday, the Army said the new divisions would commence operations once they attain Initial Operational Capability (IOC), while further steps would be taken to achieve Full Operational Capability (FOC).
“The landmark development forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the Nigerian Army’s force structure, expand its operational footprint, enhance command and control as well as improve the Service’s capacity to effectively respond to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges,” the post read.
The Army explained that activating the new divisions in phases would ensure “seamless operationalisation, operational continuity and rapid force projection across the country.”
New Operational Areas For Army Divisions
Under the new operational structure, the 1 Division Kaduna will oversee Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, while the 2 Division Ibadan will cover Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states.
The 3 Division Jos will be responsible for Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states, while the newly established 5 Division Makurdi will oversee Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states.
The 6 Division Port Harcourt will continue operations in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, while the 7 Division Maiduguri will retain responsibility for Borno and Yobe states.
The 8 Division Sokoto will continue to supervise Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Meanwhile, the newly created 9 Division Ilorin will oversee Kwara and Niger states, while the 10 Division Jalingo will be responsible for border areas in Taraba and Adamawa states.
The 81 Division Lagos will continue to cover Lagos and Ogun states, while the 82 Division Enugu will remain responsible for Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states.
The 83 Division Benin City is expected to assume responsibility for Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states once it becomes operational later this year.
Senior Officers Appointed To Lead New Divisions
To provide leadership for the newly established formations, Lieutenant General Shaibu approved the deployment of experienced senior officers.
Major General Yakubu Yahaya has been appointed General Officer Commanding 9 Division Ilorin and Commander of Operation SAVANNA SHIELD, following his redeployment from Headquarters Joint Task Force (North Central).
Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife has been named GOC 10 Division Jalingo after his redeployment from Headquarters 2 Division/Sector 3 Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
Major General Moses Gara has been appointed GOC 5 Division Makurdi and Commander of Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE, following his redeployment from the task force headquarters.
According to the Nigerian Army, the restructuring and appointments are intended to improve operational efficiency and enable quicker responses to security threats across the country.
“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 (FOC),” the Army stated.
The military added that the expansion forms part of its broader strategy to build a stronger, more responsive force capable of addressing Nigeria’s changing security landscape.
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