President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of a new Nigerian Army Division in Benin City, as part of a sweeping restructuring that will expand the Army from eight to twelve divisions and enhance security operations nationwide.
The approval, announced in a statement issued on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, places Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states under the newly created 83 Division, with its headquarters in Benin City.
According to the Presidency, the expansion is designed to improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, safeguard critical national infrastructure, enhance counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure quicker responses to emerging security threats.
As part of the reforms, President Tinubu also approved the recruitment of 28,000 additional soldiers to strengthen the Army’s manpower, alongside sustained investments in military hardware, equipment, troop welfare and force modernisation.
The implementation of the expanded force structure will be carried out in two phases. The first phase includes the establishment of the 5 Division in Makurdi, the 9 Division in Ilorin and the 10 Division in Jalingo, as well as the reorganisation of existing formations, with completion targeted for September 2026.
The second phase, expected to be completed by December 2026, will see the establishment of the 83 Division in Benin City and additional reorganisation of Army formations.
Upon completion of the restructuring, the Nigerian Army will operate twelve divisions strategically positioned across the country, with the Benin City-based 83 Division expected to bolster military operations and security coordination across Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, as well as officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their professionalism and dedication in defending the country’s sovereignty.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to equipping and modernising the Armed Forces to ensure they remain capable of protecting Nigeria’s territorial integrity and guaranteeing the security of citizens.
