Tinubu Approves Major Army Overhaul, 4 New Divisions, 28000 Troops to Be Recruited

By Victor Idajil

 President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a sweeping restructuring of the Nigerian Army creating four new divisions and approving the recruitment of 28000 additional soldiers to tackle the country’s worsening security challenges

The announcement was made on Thursday by the Presidency which described the move as part of a broader push to strengthen the Armed Forces improve operational effectiveness and speed up responses to threats across the country

With the expansion the Army will now operate 12 divisions nationwide up from 8

An army division typically comprises between 10000 and 20000 troops led by a major general In Nigeria each division oversees multiple states and several brigades A brigade itself has 2000 to 5000 soldiers under a brigadier general

 
The four new formations are  
1 5 Division Makurdi to cover Benue Nasarawa and Kogi states  
2 9 Division Ilorin to cover Kwara and Niger states  
3 10 Division Jalingo to cover Taraba and Adamawa states  
4 83 Division Benin City to cover Edo Delta and Bayelsa states  

The existing 8 divisions remain They are 1 Division Kaduna 2 Division Ibadan 3 Division Jos 6 Division Port Harcourt 7 Division Maiduguri 8 Division Sokoto 81 Division Lagos and 82 Division Enugu

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the decision builds on the Tinubu administration’s investments in new military equipment better troop welfare force modernization and improved readiness

“The approval underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and to strengthen national defence capabilities further” Onanuga said

The Presidency said the new structure will improve command and control decentralize decision making tighten border security protect critical infrastructure and make counter insurgency and internal security operations faster and more effective

 
The restructuring will happen in two phases  
Phase 1 covers the activation of the 5 9 and 10 divisions plus reorganization of existing formations It is expected to be completed by September  
Phase 2 will see the 83 Division take off alongside further restructuring with a December deadline

President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu and troops for their “dedication professionalism and steadfast commitment” to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty He also reaffirmed his administration’s pledge to keep investing in the military to ensure personnel are well equipped motivated and capable of protecting citizens.