Former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.), has thrown his weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s decision to expand the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions.
Irabor described move as a step in the right direction.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Wednesday, Irabor stated that the move would require significant investment in personnel, equipment and logistics.
His remarks come after the Nigerian Army announced the appointment of four new General Officers Commanding following President Tinubu’s approval of four additional divisions as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s security architecture.
The new formations are 5 Division, Makurdi; 9 Division, Ilorin; 10 Division, Jalingo; and 83 Division, Benin City, although the 83 Division will become operational later in the year.
The Army also activated three new brigades to boost its operational capacity across the country.
Reacting to the development, Irabor said the creation of the new divisions was only the first step towards building a stronger and more balanced security architecture.
“Expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight divisions to 12 divisions is the right step in the right direction,” he said.
He noted that the President was fully aware of the military’s shortcomings and expressed optimism that similar improvements would be extended to the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force.
It’s quite heartwarming to know that the Commander-in-Chief himself is well abreast of the shortcomings of the military. If he’s starting with the Army, perhaps that’s a good step. I believe that the Navy and the Air Force will be part of the efforts.”
Irabor, however, warned that increasing the number of divisions would have wide-ranging implications and must be backed by adequate resources.
“Increasing from eight divisions to 12 divisions has a lot of implications. First, the existing eight divisions must be properly brought up to scale in terms of personnel, equipment, logistics and so on. I want to believe that the President is well aware of the implications of all that.”
He also commended Tinubu’s plan to recruit 28,000 additional soldiers, describing it as a positive beginning despite the need for further expansion.
“I also commend the fact that the President has indicated that 28,000 soldiers will be recruited, which is barely a little over a division in terms of strength. But of course, it’s good to start from somewhere, meaning that a lot has to go into accommodation for the troops.”
The retired defence chief added that while the expansion of the Army was commendable, implementing it would require substantial national resources.
He also called for a review of the military’s role in internal security as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
“The creation of new military divisions is the first step in a very long road toward ensuring we have a balanced security architecture in the country. The time has come for the military to reevaluate its role in internal security,” he said.