New Divisions For Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo, Benin As Army Expands
The Nigerian Army has named General Officers Commanding for four newly created divisions, setting in motion one of the most significant reorganisations of its command structure in more than a decade as the military moves to widen its reach against threats spread across the country.
The appointments, contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, were approved by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu. They follow President Bola Tinubu’s approval on July 23, 2026, to expand the Army from eight to 12 divisions, recruit 28,000 additional personnel, and acquire new platforms and equipment.
Maj Gen Moses Gara was appointed GOC 5 Division, Makurdi, and Commander of Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, the formation responsible for Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states. Maj Gen Yakubu Yahaya takes charge of 9 Division, Ilorin, covering Kwara and Niger states, alongside command of Operation Savanna Shield. Maj Gen Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife was named GOC 10 Division, Jalingo, overseeing Taraba and Adamawa states, while Maj Gen Auwalu Mahmuda was redeployed to lead 2 Division, Ibadan.
The fourth new formation, 83 Division, headquartered in Benin City and responsible for Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states, is expected to be activated later in the year. The Army also raised three new brigades, with Brig Gen A.O. Odubiyi commanding 11 Brigade, Gboko; Brig Gen A.M. Haruna leading 29 Brigade, Kainji; and Brig Gen R.M. Aminu heading 10 Brigade, Lafia.
According to the statement, the 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.” The restructuring is being carried out in two phases. The first, covering the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, is expected to be completed by September 2026, while the second, which includes the 83 Division, is slated for December 2026.
The reorganisation redraws the operational map of existing divisions. Under the revised structure, 1 Division, Kaduna now oversees Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa; 2 Division, Ibadan covers Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo; and 3 Division, Jos is responsible for Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe. The 6 Division, Port Harcourt supervises Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River; 7 Division, Maiduguri retains Borno and Yobe; 8 Division, Sokoto covers Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara; 81 Division, Lagos handles Lagos and Ogun; and 82 Division, Enugu keeps Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo.
Shaibu described the expansion as “a historic milestone in the transformation of the Nigerian Army”, saying it would “significantly enhance command and control, improve operational coordination, strengthen border security, facilitate faster deployment of troops and resources”.
The move comes against a backdrop of overlapping security emergencies. The North East remains the epicentre of the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province insurgency that began in 2009, while banditry and the emergence of groups such as Lakurawa have destabilised the North West. The placement of a full division at Makurdi speaks to the persistent violence in the North Central, where Benue, often called Nigeria’s food basket, has recorded repeated mass killings tied to farmer herder clashes and armed gangs. Operation Whirl Stroke has operated across that zone since 2018.
The expansion reflects a sustained fiscal priority for security. The National Assembly approved about 1.5 trillion naira for the Army in the 2026 budget, part of a defence and security allocation that has remained the single largest sectoral vote for a third consecutive year. The last comparable expansion came in 2013, when 7 Division was created in Maiduguri specifically to prosecute the counterinsurgency in the North East.