Tinubu approves recruitment of 28,000 soldiers, creates four new army divisions

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a major expansion of the Nigerian Army, authorising the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel and the establishment of four new divisional commands as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s response to terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security challenges.

The development was announced by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said the expansion will increase the number of army divisions from eight to 12.

Under the restructuring plan, new divisional headquarters will be established in Makurdi, Benue State; Ilorin, Kwara State; Jalingo, Taraba State; and Benin City, Edo State. The implementation will be carried out in two phases, with the first set of divisions expected to become operational between September and October 2026, while the final phase is scheduled for completion by December.

According to the Presidency, the restructuring is aimed at decentralising military operations, improving response times, and strengthening security coverage across areas most affected by insurgency, banditry, communal violence and organised crime.

The new 5 Division, headquartered in Makurdi, will oversee operations in Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states, while the 9 Division in Ilorin will cover Kwara and Niger states. The 10 Division, based in Jalingo, will focus on Taraba and Adamawa states, while the 83 Division in Benin City will be responsible for Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.

Security experts say the additional divisions could enhance the military’s ability to respond more quickly to emerging threats by reducing reliance on temporary task forces and increasing troop presence in vulnerable areas.

The establishment of the 10 Division is expected to strengthen counter-insurgency operations in the North-East by reinforcing security along Nigeria’s border with Cameroon, an area frequently exploited by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters.

Similarly, the new divisions in Makurdi and Ilorin are expected to boost efforts against banditry, farmer-herder conflicts and criminal activities across the North-Central region, while the Benin City command is expected to improve security along major highways and protect critical oil and gas infrastructure in the South-South.

The planned recruitment of 28,000 soldiers is one of the largest personnel expansions undertaken by the Nigerian Army in recent years and is expected to increase the military’s operational capacity across multiple theatres.

However, defence analysts have cautioned that increasing troop numbers alone may not be sufficient to address the country’s security challenges.

They argue that the success of the restructuring will depend on sustained investment in modern equipment, intelligence gathering, surveillance technology, logistics, and personnel welfare. They also stress the need for closer coordination between the military, police, intelligence agencies and other security institutions.

Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, welcomed the expansion, describing it as a positive step toward improving national security. He, however, urged the Federal Government to ensure that the new formations are adequately funded and equipped to carry out their responsibilities effectively.

If implemented as planned, the expansion will represent one of the most significant reorganisations of the Nigerian Army in decades as the Federal Government seeks to strengthen the country’s security architecture amid persistent threats across several regions.