Army Expansion to 12 Divisions Will Boost National Security, Operational Effectiveness — CCC Chairman
The Chairman, Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) and former Director of Defence Information, retired Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, has described the Federal Government’s decision to expand the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions as a strategic move that will significantly enhance national security and strengthen the military’s operational capacity.
Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade disclosed this while speaking as a guest on a television programme aired on TV360 Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu recently approved the restructuring of the Army into 12 divisions alongside the recruitment of an additional 28,000 personnel as part of efforts to address the country’s evolving security challenges.
Reacting to the development, Olukolade said the decision was both timely and necessary, noting that it demonstrates the government’s commitment to strengthening the Armed Forces in response to Nigeria’s complex security environment.
He said the expansion would substantially improve the Army’s ability to tackle the country’s multifaceted security threats through increased operational presence and enhanced force projection.
According to him, the new force structure will create additional divisions, brigades and battalions, providing greater troop strength and enabling sustained military operations across vulnerable and conflict-prone areas.
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Olukolade also noted that the expansion would be complemented by additional military equipment, combat platforms and operational vehicles, significantly improving the Army’s mobility, firepower and operational reach.
The retired general observed that the Nigerian Army has remained overstretched for years due to its involvement in multiple internal security operations across various theatres nationwide.
He explained that the creation of four additional divisions would facilitate more regular troop rotations, reduce prolonged deployments, provide personnel with adequate rest and retraining opportunities, and ultimately improve morale and combat effectiveness.
Olukolade further stated that the expanded force structure would enable faster military responses to security threats, particularly in remote and ungoverned areas that have remained vulnerable to attacks.
He added that the development would make it possible to establish permanent Forward Operating Bases in strategic locations such as the Sambisa Forest, the Lake Chad Basin, forests in the North-West and the Oke-Ogun corridor, rather than relying on deployments from distant formations.
The retired officer also said the establishment of more divisional headquarters would strengthen civil-military relations by bringing military leadership closer to communities affected by insecurity.
According to him, the closer engagement would enhance intelligence gathering, improve early warning mechanisms and foster better operational coordination between the military, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security agencies.
Olukolade expressed confidence that the expansion would strengthen the Army’s ability to respond more effectively to emerging threats while improving overall national security.
By PRNigeria
