Tinubu Approves Creation Of 4 New Army Divisions In Ilorin, Makurdi, Jalingo, Benin City

Okays recruitment of 28,000 personnel   |   New divisions bring number to 12   |  Retired general, Lawan hail approval

By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah and Tarkaa David, Samson Elijah, Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions, with four new divisions to be established in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City.

He also authorised the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel in a major push to strengthen the country’s security architecture.

According to a statement by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the approval underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and further strengthen national defence capabilities.

The expansion builds on the administration’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and ongoing support for operational readiness and force modernisation.

Under the new structure, Onanuga said the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions, strategically positioned across the country as follows:

1 Division Headquarters – Kaduna (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States)

2 Division Headquarters – Ibadan (Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States)

3 Division Headquarters – Jos (Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States)

5 Division Headquarters – Makurdi (Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States)

6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States)

7 Division Headquarters – Maiduguri (Borno and Yobe States)

8 Division Headquarters – Sokoto (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States)

9 Division Headquarters – Ilorin (Kwara and Niger States)

Others include:

10 Division Headquarters – Jalingo (Taraba and Adamawa States)

81 Division Headquarters – Lagos (Lagos and Ogun States)

82 Division Headquarters – Enugu (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States)

83 Division Headquarters – Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States).

“The establishment of the new divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide.”

He explained that the implementation of the new force structure will be done in two phases.

The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, will be completed by September 2026.

“The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and further reorganisation, is expected to be completed by December 2026,” Onanuga said.

President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication, professionalism and steadfast commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The President reaffirmed his administration’s determination to continue investing in the Armed Forces, ensuring they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.

Reacting to the development, security experts have welcomed the landmark decision, describing it as a long-overdue step that will improve the Army’s operational effectiveness, deepen its presence across the country and enhance its capacity to respond to evolving security threats.

They, however, cautioned that the expansion must be backed by adequate funding, logistics, accommodation and other critical resources to achieve its intended objectives.

A former director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd.), described the development as welcome, adding that it was long overdue.

Though General Usman commended the government for the initiative, he, however, warned that adequate resources must accompany the approval as it is capital-intensive.

“For instance, when you say 28,000 soldiers, that means you are providing accommodation for 28,000 soldiers. Let’s say you are giving them one wardroom, but you know it may be more than one wardroom.”

He noted that, following the Army’s growing role in internal security, an increase in manpower had become necessary.

“Generally, I think it’s a welcome development. We have to commend the President for taking such a bold step. This is long overdue.”

Also reacting to the development, the Managing Director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited, Kabir Adamu, described the gesture as a positive development that would increase the military’s footprint across Nigeria.

According to him, the 36 states of the federation need to be adequately covered, particularly given the military’s challenges with personnel, mobility and logistics.

“Increasing that footprint in terms of expanding the divisions, I think, would go a long way towards helping it meet its mandate as contained in the Constitution.”

He also commended the directive for the Army to increase its personnel by 28,000, saying it would go a long way towards supporting the national aspiration for improved security.

Adamu, however, stated that such a move alone was not enough to address national security challenges.

He called on the government to make deliberate efforts to address the root causes of insecurity.

“The other components of the challenges to national security would also have to be addressed. All those root causes, such as socio-economic conditions that lead to insecurity, out-of-school children, poverty, unemployment, environmental challenges, the inability of state governments, especially, to address some socio-economic challenges, and the absence of local government and policing, are critical.

“Border security, drug addiction, all those challenges, the root causes and drivers of insecurity are important to be addressed. So yes, this is one component. It will go a long way towards helping contain the violence, but it will not address the national security challenge that Nigeria has,” he said.

Lawan Commends Tinubu

Also, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Ahmad Lawan, has commended President Bola Tinubu for approving the expansion of the Nigerian Army from its current structure to 12 divisions and authorising the recruitment of 28,000 young Nigerians into the force.

Lawan described the decision as a strategic step towards strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and tackling the country’s persistent security challenges.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the former Senate President said the President’s approval demonstrated visionary leadership and a firm commitment to addressing insecurity through enhanced military capacity.

He noted that the changing nature of modern warfare required not only superior weapons but also adequate manpower, wider operational coverage and greater tactical flexibility.

“I have always maintained that the asymmetric nature of modern warfare requires not just superior firepower, but superior manpower, strategic spread and operational agility. With this expansion, the Commander-in-Chief has demonstrated that he is not just a listening leader, but a thinking leader,” he stated.

According to the defence committee chairman, the creation of additional Army divisions would improve military response time to emerging security threats, particularly in ungoverned and vulnerable areas across the country.

“The creation of additional divisions will shorten the response time to threats in ungoverned spaces. This goes to show that a more robust order of battle means a faster and more decisive end to the remnants of insurgency that have troubled our peace,” he said.

Lawan also said the recruitment of 28,000 young Nigerians would strengthen the country’s defence capability while creating employment opportunities for youths.

He described the move as a major boost to the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, expressing confidence that reforms in the nation’s security institutions would continue until lasting peace is achieved.

GAMA, Ilorin Union, Others Hail Tinubu

By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin

Similarly, the Gamji Association of Nigeria (GAMA), Kwara State chapter, has praised President Bola Tinubu for approving the expansion of the Nigerian Army to 12 divisions.

GAMA described the President’s approval for the recruitment of 28,000 Army personnel as a welcome development.

In a statement signed by its president, Alh. Mohammed Tunde Akanbi, and publicity secretary, Alh. Abdullahi Olesin, GAMA also thanked the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his cooperation and support for President Tinubu, which has culminated in the rollout of people-centred policies and programmes by governments at all levels.

The association noted that the expansion of the Army divisions would ultimately bring peace across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Also, the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) commended Tinubu for approving the creation of the 9 Division of the Nigerian Army, with its headquarters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

It described the development as one capable of greatly benefiting the nation, particularly the people of Kwara and Niger states.

The national president of the IEDPU, Alh. Abdulmumini Ayo Abdulmalik, made the commendation in a statement signed by the union’s publicity secretary, Mal. Suleiman Dagbo.

Abdulmalik also ongratulated the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, and the people of Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State on the development.

He noted that the creation of the Army division in Ilorin would enhance the security of lives and property in Kwara State and neighbouring Niger State.

Also reacting, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Kwara State chapter, described President Tinubu’s approval for the expansion of the Nigerian Army to 12 divisions as a welcome development.

The ACF also hailed the President for approving the recruitment of 28,000 Army personnel to strengthen security across the country.

In a statement signed by its chairman, Alh. Abdullahi Yusuf, and director of Media and Documentation, Alh. Abdullahi Olesin, the ACF  noted that the expansion of the Army divisions would not only restore peace across the country but also ensure economic prosperity for Nigerians wherever they live.

For its part, the National League of Veteran Journalists (NALVEJ) in Kwara State said that, through this landmark approval, President Tinubu had left no one in doubt about his administration’s commitment to rooting out criminal elements from every part of Nigeria.

NALVEJ, in a statement signed by its chairman, Alh. Tunde Akanbi, and publicity secretary, Alh. Abdullahi Olesin, said history would be kind to Tinubu for the decisive steps he has taken to restore peace across the country.

It described the President’s approval for the recruitment of 28,000 Army personnel as legendary and unprecedented.

The association praised President Tinubu for being a statesman by not prioritising politics over the security of lives and property..