Army Appoints GOCs For 4 New Divisions, Redeploys Brigadier Generals

The Nigerian Army has announced the appointment of General Officers Commanding for four newly established divisions, alongside the redeployment of several brigadier generals, following President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a major expansion of the army’s structure.

The appointments were approved by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, and disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele.

The development came less than a week after President Tinubu approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and authorised the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel.

The Presidency described the decision as a “landmark move to enhance the country’s security architecture and improve the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.”

Under the new arrangement, the army will operate 12 divisions across the country. 

The structure includes Division 1 in Kaduna; Division 2 in Ibadan; Division 3 in Jos; Division 5 in Makurdi; Division 6 in Port Harcourt; Division 7 in Maiduguri; Division 8 in Sokoto; the newly created Division 9 in Ilorin; Division 10 in Jalingo; and Divisions 81, 82 and 83 in Lagos, Enugu and Benin City, respectively.

According to the statement, the newly established divisions will commence operations immediately upon attaining Initial Operational Capability.

Anele said measures were already being implemented to ensure that the formations “progressively attain full operational capability.”

The newly appointed GOCs are Major General Yakubu Yahaya, previously from Headquarters Joint Task Force (North Central), Operation SAVANNA SHIELD, to Headquarters 9 Division, Ilorin, where he will also serve as Commander of 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.

Major General Moses Gara, formerly at Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE, has also been posted to Headquarters 9 Division, Ilorin, with additional responsibility as Commander of Operation SAVANNA SHIELD.

Major General Auwalu Mahmuda has been moved from the Army Headquarters Directorate of Inspection and Compliance to Headquarters 2 Division, Ibadan.

To strengthen the new formations, the Army also activated three additional brigades.

Brigadier General A.O. Odubiyi, previously with the Army Headquarters Operations Centre, has been appointed Commander of the newly established 11 Brigade in Gboko.

Brigadier General A.M. Haruna was redeployed from the Nigerian Army Armour School to command the newly activated 29 Brigade in Kainji.

Brigadier General R.M. Aminu, formerly of the National Defence College, has been posted to head the newly created 10 Brigade in Lafia.

The restructuring is expected to improve command and control, enhance operational reach, and provide faster military response across critical security flashpoints in the country.

The creation of the new divisions and brigades is also aimed at supporting ongoing military operations against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats in different regions of Nigeria