The Nigerian Army has announced a sweeping reorganisation of its command structure, appointing new General Officers Commanding (GOCs) to lead four newly created divisions after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the expansion.
Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, signed off on the appointments as part of what officials describe as a major overhaul of the Army’s force structure, aimed at improving command and control and strengthening the military’s response to security threats nationwide.
Under the restructuring, the Army now operates with a redrawn map of divisional responsibilities. The 1 Division in Kaduna will oversee Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, while the 2 Division in Ibadan takes charge of Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo. The 3 Division in Jos will be responsible for Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe.
Among the newly created formations, the 5 Division, headquartered in Makurdi, will cover Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi, while the 6 Division in Port Harcourt takes on Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River. The 7 Division in Maiduguri retains oversight of Borno and Yobe, and the 8 Division in Sokoto continues to cover Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara.
Two more new divisions were also unveiled: the 9 Division in Ilorin, covering Kwara and Niger states, and the 10 Division in Jalingo, tasked with securing border areas of Taraba and Adamawa. Meanwhile, the 81 Division in Lagos remains responsible for Lagos and Ogun, and the 82 Division in Enugu continues to oversee Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo. A further division, the 83, will be activated later this year in Benin City to cover Edo, Delta and Bayelsa.
The divisions will begin operations upon reaching Initial Operational Capability, with plans to scale up to Full Operational Capability over time — a phased approach the Army says is designed to ensure continuity and rapid deployment.
Leading the new formations are several senior officers redeployed from other commands. Major General Yakubu Yahaya moves from the North Central Joint Task Force to head the 9 Division in Ilorin, also taking command of Operation SAVANNA SHIELD. Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife shifts from the North West Joint Task Force to lead the newly formed 10 Division in Jalingo.
Major General Moses Gara, previously with Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE, takes over the 5 Division in Makurdi, retaining his role as commander of that operation. Major General Auwalu Mahmuda moves from the Army’s Directorate of Inspection and Compliance to command the 2 Division in Ibadan.
Three new brigades were also activated to support the restructuring, with Brigadier Generals AO Odubiyi, AM Haruna and RM Aminu appointed to command the 11 Brigade in Gboko, 29 Brigade in Kainji, and 10 Brigade in Lafia, respectively.
General Shaibu urged the newly appointed commanders to lead with professionalism and discipline, describing the restructuring as central to the Army’s mandate of protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and citizens.
He also thanked President Tinubu for what he called sustained investment in the Army’s capabilities, calling the expansion a “historic milestone” in the force’s development. Officials say the new divisions are expected to improve troop deployment speed, strengthen border security and support joint operations with other security agencies.
