A retired major general, Anthony Atolagbe, has described President Bola Tinubu’s recent restructuring of the Nigerian Army’s command structure as a bold and strategic move to confront the country’s evolving security challenges.
The former commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) spoke on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, where he called the expansion of the army from eight to 12 divisions a decisive step towards eliminating criminal elements across the country.
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Mr Tinubu had approved the creation of four new Army divisions with headquarters in Makurdi, Benue State; Ilorin, Kwara; Jalingo, Taraba State; and Benin City, Edo State; alongside the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
Mr Atolagbe said the restructuring reflected a bold and audacious command adjustment, adding that the newly appointed leadership would be positioned to convert the reform into decisive victories for troops in the field.
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He said the new divisional structure was necessary given the shifting nature of Nigeria’s security threats, which have evolved from scattered insurgent cells into more sophisticated and coordinated terrorist networks requiring commanders with direct, recent theatre experience who can adapt swiftly to changing conditions.
According to him, the new commanders would leverage their operational experience and familiarity with local terrain to improve the military’s performance in high-risk operations, enabling troops to reclaim ungoverned spaces and deploy aerial surveillance technology more effectively against criminal elements.
Decentralised command capacity
Mr Atolagbe explained that locating the new divisions closer to areas most affected by insecurity would strengthen the military’s ability to respond swiftly to emerging threats.
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Under the restructuring, the newly created 5 Division will be headquartered in Makurdi, covering Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states; the 9 Division in Ilorin, covering Kwara and Niger states; the 10 Division in Jalingo, covering Taraba and Adamawa states; and the 83 Division in Benin City, covering Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
The existing 81 Division, headquartered in Lagos, covers Lagos and Ogun states.
The retired general said bringing these command formations closer to local crisis areas would facilitate faster operational response and more effective containment of criminal activity.
Expansion of troop numbers
He linked the restructuring directly to the recruitment of over 28,000 additional personnel, describing it as a critical boost to the military’s field strength and overall manpower capacity.
READ ALSO: Court orders Nigerian Army to reinstate 70 court-martial convicted soldiers pardoned by Buhari
Advanced technology integration
Mr Atolagbe also spoke of the planned development of elite, specialised squads equipped with modern military technology, including drones, ammunition, artillery, armoured vehicles and sophisticated intelligence-gathering assets.
The former army officer said the integration of these tools would enhance precision targeting and strengthen tactical operations on the ground.
He listed the newly designated command locations as Jalingo (10 Division), Makurdi (5 Division) and Benin City (83 Division), noting that these formations were strategically positioned to combat terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities in their respective regions.
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