Army chief appoints GOCs for newly established divisions

By Kingsley Omonobi

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of General Officers Commanding (GOCs) for the Nigerian Army’s newly established divisions following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval for the creation of four additional divisions.

The appointments are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the Army’s force structure, expand its operational footprint, enhance command and control, and improve its capacity to tackle Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.

In a statement, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the new divisions would commence operations in their designated locations upon attaining Initial Operational Capability (IOC), while measures are being implemented to achieve Full Operational Capability (FOC).

According to the statement, the phased approach is designed to ensure seamless operationalisation, operational continuity and rapid force projection across the country.

As part of the restructuring, the Army has reorganised its divisional areas of responsibility.

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. 3 Division Jos will be responsible for 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 cover Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

7 Division Maiduguri will remain responsible for Borno and Yobe states, while 8 Division Sokoto will retain responsibility for Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.

The newly established 9 Division, headquartered in Ilorin, will oversee Kwara and Niger states, while 10 Division, headquartered in Jalingo, will be responsible for border areas in Taraba and Adamawa states.

81 Division Lagos will continue to cover Lagos and Ogun states, while 82 Division Enugu will retain responsibility for Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states.

The statement added that the newly established 83 Division, with headquarters in Benin City, will oversee Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states when it is activated later this year.

To lead the new formations, the COAS approved the appointment of senior officers as GOCs.

Major General Yakubu Yahaya was redeployed from Headquarters Joint Task Force (North Central), Operation Savannah Shield, to Headquarters 9 Division, Ilorin, as General Officer Commanding and Commander, Operation Savannah Shield.

Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife was redeployed from Headquarters 2 Division/Sector 3 Joint Task Force (North West), Operation Fansan Yamma, to Headquarters 10 Division, Jalingo, as General Officer Commanding.

Major General Moses Gara was redeployed from Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke to Headquarters 5 Division, Makurdi, where he will serve as General Officer Commanding and Commander of Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke.

Also, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda was redeployed from the Army Headquarters Directorate of Inspection and Compliance to Headquarters 2 Division, Ibadan, as General Officer Commanding.

To support the new divisions, the Army also activated three new brigades.

Brigadier General A.O. Odubiyi, formerly of the Army Headquarters Operations Centre, was appointed Commander of the newly established 11 Brigade, Gboko. Brigadier General A.M. Haruna, redeployed from the Nigerian Army Armour School, will command the new 29 Brigade, Kainji, while Brigadier General R.M. Aminu, from the National Defence College, has been appointed Commander 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 safeguarding the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, protecting the lives and property of law-abiding citizens, and supporting national peace and security.

The Army Chief also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his support in expanding the Army’s operational capabilities, describing the establishment of the additional divisions as a significant milestone in the transformation of the Nigerian Army and a reflection of the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening the nation’s defence architecture.

He said the expanded force structure would enhance command and control, improve operational coordination, strengthen border security, facilitate faster deployment of troops and resources, and boost the Army’s ability to respond to emerging security threats while supporting joint and multi-agency operations nationwide.

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