The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the appointment of General Officers Commanding (GOCs) for the Nigerian Army’s newly established divisions following President Bola Tinubu’s approval of four additional formations.
The appointments are part of the army’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its force structure, expand its operational footprint, enhance command and control, and improve its capacity to tackle Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
In a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday, the Nigerian Army said the new divisions would begin operations upon attaining Initial Operational Capability (IOC), while measures are underway to achieve Full Operational Capability (FOC) in phases.
According to the statement, the phased implementation is designed to ensure seamless operationalisation, maintain operational continuity and enhance rapid force projection across the country.
As part of the restructuring, the army has also reorganised the Areas of Responsibility (AOR) of its divisions.
Under the new arrangement, 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 established 5 Division, headquartered in Makurdi, will oversee Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states, while 6 Division Port Harcourt will cover Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. 7 Division Maiduguri will retain responsibility for Borno and Yobe states, while 8 Division Sokoto will continue to oversee Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
The new 9 Division, headquartered in Ilorin, will cover Kwara and Niger states, while 10 Division, based in Jalingo, will be responsible for Taraba and Adamawa states.
Meanwhile, 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, 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 senior officers as General Officers Commanding.
Major General Yakubu Yahaya has been 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 Nnebeife has been redeployed from Headquarters 2 Division/Sector 3, Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, to serve as General Officer Commanding of 10 Division Jalingo.
Similarly, Major General Moses Gara has been moved from the Headquarters of Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE to command 5 Division Makurdi, where he will also serve as Commander of Operation WHIRL STROKE.
President Tinubu approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions on July 23, 2026, describing the move as part of his administration’s sustained investment in the Armed Forces.
The President also approved the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, the acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and continued support for operational readiness and force modernisation.
According to the Presidency, implementation of the new force structure will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, is expected to be completed by September 2026.
The second phase, which includes the activation of the 83 Division Benin City and further reorganisation of formations, is scheduled for completion by December 2026.
