The Nigerian Army has appointed General Officers Commanding (GOCs) for four newly established divisions following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval of the expansion of the Army’s force structure to bolster national security and enhance operational effectiveness across the country.
President Tinubu had recently approved the establishment of the four additional divisions as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the Nigerian Army’s force structure, expand its operational footprint, improve command and control, and boost the Service’s capacity to respond effectively to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
Announcing the appointments in a statement on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, said the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, approved the postings to ensure the immediate operationalisation of the new formations.
According to her, the newly established divisions will commence operations upon attaining Initial Operational Capability (IOC), while efforts will continue toward achieving Full Operational Capability (FOC) through a phased implementation strategy.
“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,” Anele said.
As part of the reorganisation, the Army also announced a new distribution of divisional areas of responsibility across Nigeria.
Under the new structure, 1 Division Kaduna will oversee Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States, while 2 Division Ibadan will cover Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States. 3 Division Jos will be responsible for Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States.
The newly created 5 Division, headquartered in Makurdi, will oversee Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States, while 6 Division Port Harcourt will retain responsibility for Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States. 7 Division Maiduguri will continue to cover Borno and Yobe States, while 8 Division Sokoto will oversee Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States.
The newly established 9 Division, with headquarters in Ilorin, will be responsible for Kwara and Niger States, while 10 Division, headquartered in Jalingo, will oversee security operations in the border areas of Taraba and Adamawa States. 81 Division Lagos will continue to supervise Lagos and Ogun States, while 82 Division Enugu retains responsibility for Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States. The newly established 83 Division, headquartered in Benin City, will cover Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States when it becomes operational later this year.
To lead the new formations, the COAS approved the appointment of seasoned senior officers.
Major General Yakubu Yahaya was redeployed from the Headquarters of Joint Task Force (North Central), Operation SAVANNA SHIELD, to head 9 Division Ilorin as General Officer Commanding and Commander of Operation SAVANNA SHIELD.
Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife was redeployed from 2 Division/Sector 3, Joint Task Force Operation FANSAN YAMMA to serve as General Officer Commanding, 10 Division Jalingo.
Similarly, Major General Moses Gara moved from Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE to become General Officer Commanding, 5 Division Makurdi, while also serving as Commander of Operation WHIRL STROKE.
In addition, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda was redeployed from the Army Headquarters Directorate of Inspection and Compliance to take over as General Officer Commanding, 2 Division Ibadan.
The Army also announced the activation of three new brigades to reinforce the new divisions.
Brigadier General A.O. Odubiyi was appointed Commander of 11 Brigade, Gboko; Brigadier General A.M. Haruna will head 29 Brigade, Kainji; while Brigadier General R.M. Aminu has been appointed Commander of 10 Brigade, Lafia.
Congratulating the newly appointed commanders, Lieutenant General Shaibu urged them to provide effective leadership and sustain the Army’s operational momentum.
“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,” Anele stated.
The Army Chief reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to defending the country’s sovereignty, protecting lives and property, and supporting lasting peace and national security.
Lieutenant General Shaibu also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for approving the expansion of the Army’s force structure.
“He noted that the establishment of the additional Divisions represents a historic milestone in the transformation of the Nigerian Army and reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening national defence architecture,” the statement said.
According to the COAS, the additional divisions will significantly improve command and control, strengthen border security, facilitate faster troop deployment, enhance operational coordination, and improve the Army’s ability to respond decisively to emerging security threats across Nigeria.
He expressed confidence that the expanded force structure would deepen joint and multi-agency operations, reinforce national stability, and contribute substantially to restoring lasting peace and security nationwide.
