New GOC Koughna Vows to Sustain Anti-banditry Operation in North-West
The Nigerian Army has appointed Major General Bemgba Paul Koughna as the new General Officer Commanding (GOC), 8 Division, and Commander,
Sector 2 of Operation Fansan Yamma, following a formal handover ceremony at the Giginya Cantonment, Sokoto.
Koughna takes over from Major General Ibikunle Ademola Ajose, whose tenure was marked by sustained counter-banditry operations and improved security outcomes across parts of the North-West.
Speaking at the ceremony, Koughna thanked the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu, for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to consolidate the gains recorded by his predecessor. He assured that the division would intensify efforts to tackle banditry, terrorism and other security threats in the region, while strengthening cooperation with sister security agencies and host communities.
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“I remain committed to building on existing achievements and advancing the division’s mandate of restoring peace and stability in the North-West,” he said.
In his valedictory remarks, Ajose congratulated his successor and expressed confidence in Koughna’s capacity to lead the division, describing him as a seasoned officer with deep operational knowledge of Nigeria’s security environment.
Koughna, a member of the 43rd Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy, was commissioned in 1996 and has held several key command and staff positions, including Commanding Officer, 26 Battalion, Sokoto; Chief of Staff, 6 Division; Director of Civil-Military Affairs at Army Headquarters; and Deputy Chief of Operations.
He has also served on international peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as in major domestic operations, including Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East.
The appointment comes as the Army sustains renewed operations under Operation Fansan Yamma to curb banditry and violent crimes in the North-West.
By PRNigeria
