A retired major general, Anthony Atolagbe, has hailed President Bola Tinubu’s recent changes to the Nigerian Army’s command structure. He sees these changes as a smart move to tackle the country’s growing security issues.
Mr Atolagbe, who once led the Joint Task Force (JTF), spoke on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. He praised the army's increase from eight to 12 divisions, calling it a key step to get rid of criminal elements across Nigeria.
President Tinubu approved the formation of four new army divisions based in Makurdi, Benue State; Ilorin, Kwara; Jalingo, Taraba State; and Benin City, Edo State. He also announced the recruitment of 28,000 new personnel to boost Nigeria’s security efforts.
Mr Atolagbe said the restructuring shows a bold adjustment in command. He believes that the new leadership will turn these reforms into real victories for the soldiers in the field.
He noted that the new divisional setup is necessary because Nigeria’s security threats have changed. These threats have shifted from small insurgent groups to more organized terrorist networks. This requires commanders who have direct, recent experience and can quickly adapt to new challenges.
According to him, the new commanders will use their operational experience and knowledge of local areas to improve military performance in risky operations. This will help troops regain control of ungoverned areas and use aerial surveillance better against criminals.
Mr Atolagbe pointed out that placing the new divisions closer to areas facing insecurity would help the military respond faster to new threats.
With the restructuring, the new 5 Division will be based in Makurdi, covering Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states. The 9 Division will be in Ilorin, covering Kwara and Niger states. The 10 Division will be located in Jalingo, covering Taraba and Adamawa states. Finally, the 83 Division will be in Benin City, covering Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
The current 81 Division, based in Lagos, covers Lagos and Ogun states.
The retired general believes that moving these command formations closer to local crisis areas will make responses faster and more effective in dealing with crime.
He linked the restructuring to the recruitment of over 28,000 new personnel. He described this as a vital boost to the military’s strength and overall manpower.
Mr Atolagbe also talked about plans for developing elite, specialized squads with modern military technology. This includes drones, ammunition, artillery, armored vehicles and advanced intelligence-gathering tools.
He said using these tools would help with precision targeting and improve tactical operations on the ground. He listed the new command locations as Jalingo (10 Division), Makurdi (5 Division) and Benin City (83 Division). He noted that these divisions are well-placed to fight terrorism, banditry and other crimes in their areas.
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