Tinubu Expands Nigerian Army to 12 Divisions to Strengthen National Security

By SwiftBreakingNews

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to twelve divisions in a major restructuring aimed at strengthening the country’s security architecture and enhancing the operational effectiveness of the military.

The approval, announced on Thursday in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is expected to improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, and ensure faster military response to security threats across the country.

As part of the new force structure, four new divisions will be established in Makurdi, Benin City, Ilorin and Jalingo, increasing the Army’s operational formations from eight to twelve divisions nationwide.

Under the expanded structure, the Nigerian Army will now operate the 1 Division in Kaduna, 2 Division in Ibadan, 3 Division in Jos, 5 Division in Makurdi, 6 Division in Port Harcourt, 7 Division in Maiduguri, 8 Division in Sokoto, 9 Division in Ilorin, 10 Division in Jalingo, 81 Division in Lagos, 82 Division in Enugu and 83 Division in Benin City.

The 82 Division, headquartered in Enugu, will oversee military operations in Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states, while the 83 Division in Benin City will cover Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.

According to the Presidency, implementation of the expansion will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, involving the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, will be completed by September 2026, while the second phase, which includes the establishment of the 83 Division, is scheduled for completion by December 2026.

The Presidency said the expansion reflects the Federal Government’s determination to reposition the Nigerian Army for greater efficiency in addressing the nation’s evolving security challenges.