COAS appoints GOCs for newly established Army divisions

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of new General Officers Commanding (GOCs) to lead the four newly established divisions of the Nigerian Army.

The structural expansion, authorized by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, increases the army’s divisional count from eight to 12 in order to bolster nationwide security operations.

This is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele.

According to the Anele, “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 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).

“This phased approach will ensure seamless operationalisation, operational continuity and rapid force projection across the country”.

“Consequently, the Nigerian Army has undertaken a comprehensive reorganisation of its Divisional Areas of Responsibility.

“Under the new structure, 1 Division Kaduna will be responsible for security in Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States, while 2 Division Ibadan will cover Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States.

“The 3 Division Jos will oversee Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States.

“The newly established 5 Division, with Headquarters in Makurdi, will assume responsibility for Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States, while 6 Division Port Harcourt will cover Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

“The 7 Division Maiduguri will be responsible for Borno and Yobe states while 8 Division Sokoto will retain responsibility for Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States.

“Furthermore, the newly established 9 Division, headquartered in Ilorin, will cover Kwara and Niger States, while the newly established 10 Division, headquartered in Jalingo, will be responsible for security in the border areas of Taraba and Adamawa States.

“The 81 Division Lagos will continue to oversee Lagos and Ogun States, while 82 Division Enugu will retain responsibility for Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States.

“The newly established 83 Division, with Headquarters in Benin City, will cover Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States when activated later in the year.”

To provide effective leadership for the new formations, the COAS has approved the appointment of seasoned senior officers as General Officers Commanding.

Those appointed includes; Major General Yakubu Yahaya redeployed from Headquarters Joint Task Force (North Central), Operation Savannah Shield (OPSS), 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.

Similarly, Major General Moses Gara has been redeployed from Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) to Headquarters 5 Division, Makurdi, where he assumes the dual appointment of General Officer Commanding and Commander, Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke.

In the same vein, 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 newly established brigades have Brigadier General AO Odubiyi from Army Headquarters Operations Center assuming command of Headquarters 11 Brigade Gboko as Commander, Brigadier General AM Haruna posted from the Nigerian Army Armour School to Headquarters 29 Brigade Kainji as Commander.

Additionally, Brigadier General RM Aminu redeployed from the National Defence College to Headquarters 10 Brigade Lafia as Commander.

The Chief of Army Staff congratulated the newly appointed commanders and charged them to provide visionary leadership, sustain operational momentum and uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and mission effectiveness in the discharge of their responsibilities.

He reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria, protecting the lives and property of all law-abiding citizens and supporting the attainment of enduring national peace and security.

Lieutenant General Shaibu also expressed profound appreciation to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his steadfast support and strategic investment in expanding the Nigerian Army’s operational capabilities.

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