Army appoints GOCs for new divisions

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has appointed General Officers Commanding (GOCs) for newly established Army divisions, following the approval of their creation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The expansion is part of efforts to strengthen the Nigerian Army’s operational capacity nationwide. The President had approved the increase in the Army’s structure from eight to 12 divisions, alongside the recruitment of 28,000 new personnel.

The newly created divisions include the 5 Division Headquarters in Makurdi, overseeing Benue, Nasarawa, and Kogi states; 9 Division Headquarters in Ilorin, covering Kwara and Niger states; 10 Division Headquarters in Jalingo, responsible for Taraba and Adamawa states; and 83 Division Headquarters in Benin City, overseeing Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa states.

The appointments were announced on Wednesday in a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, who noted that the move marks the commencement of operations by the new divisions.

She explained that the reorganisation is aimed at expanding the Army’s operational footprint, strengthening command and control, and improving its responsiveness to evolving security challenges across the country.

Under the new postings, Major General Yakubu Yahaya has been redeployed from the Headquarters Joint Task Force (North Central), Operation SAVANNA SHIELD, to Headquarters 9 Division in Ilorin, where he will serve as General Officer Commanding and Commander of Operation SAVANNA SHIELD.

Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife has been moved from Headquarters 2 Division/Sector 3, Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, to Headquarters 10 Division in Jalingo as General Officer Commanding.

Similarly, Major General Moses Gara has been redeployed from Headquarters Joint Task Force, Operation WHIRL STROKE, to Headquarters 5 Division in Makurdi, where he assumes the dual role of General Officer Commanding and Commander of Operation WHIRL STROKE.

In addition, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda has been redeployed from the Army Headquarters Directorate of Inspection and Compliance to Headquarters 2 Division in Ibadan as General Officer Commanding.

To further strengthen the command structure, the Army has also activated three new brigades. Brigadier General A.O. Odubiyi has been appointed Commander of 11 Brigade, Gboko; Brigadier General A.M. Haruna will command 29 Brigade, Kainji; while Brigadier General R.M. Aminu has been deployed as Commander of 10 Brigade, Lafia.

Anele stated that the new divisions would commence operations immediately upon attaining Initial Operational Capability (IOC), with measures already in place to achieve Full Operational Capability (FOC) in phases.

She added that the phased operationalisation would ensure a seamless transition, maintain operational continuity, and enhance rapid force projection nationwide.

The Army also carried out a comprehensive reorganisation of divisional Areas of Responsibility to align with the expanded structure.

Under the new arrangement, 1 Division, Kaduna, will oversee Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states; 2 Division, Ibadan, will cover Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo states; while 3 Division, Jos, will be responsible for Plateau, Bauchi, and Gombe states.

The 5 Division in Makurdi will oversee Benue, Nasarawa, and Kogi states; 6 Division, Port Harcourt, will cover Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states; 7 Division, Maiduguri, will remain responsible for Borno and Yobe states; and 8 Division, Sokoto, will continue to oversee Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara states.

The newly established 9 Division in Ilorin will oversee Kwara and Niger states, while the 10 Division in Jalingo will handle border areas in Taraba and Adamawa states.

Meanwhile, 81 Division, Lagos, will retain responsibility for Lagos and Ogun states, and 82 Division, Enugu, will continue to oversee Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, and Imo states. The 83 Division in Benin City will take charge of Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa states upon becoming fully operational later in the year.

Anele said the COAS congratulated the newly appointed commanders and charged them to provide visionary leadership, sustain operational momentum, and uphold high standards of professionalism and discipline.

She added that Lt.-Gen. Shaibu reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, protecting lives and property, and ensuring lasting peace and security across the country.