Former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), has thrown his support behind President Bola Tinubu’s decision to increase the Nigerian Army’s formations from eight to 12 divisions, saying the initiative will strengthen the country’s security framework if properly implemented.
Irabor spoke during an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Wednesday, following the Federal Government’s approval of four additional Army divisions and the appointment of new General Officers Commanding to lead them.
The newly approved divisions are to be located in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, while three new brigades have also been established to improve the Army’s operational reach nationwide.
Describing the development as a welcome move, the retired military officer said the expansion marks meaningful progress for the armed forces.
“Expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight divisions to 12 divisions is the right step in the right direction,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the President understands the challenges confronting the military and hopes similar reforms will be extended to the Navy and 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, stressed that creating more divisions alone would not be enough, noting that adequate funding, equipment, logistics and personnel would be needed to make the expansion effective.
“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 praised the administration’s decision to recruit 28,000 additional soldiers, describing it as an encouraging beginning while acknowledging that more manpower would still be required.
“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.”
Irabor further urged the military to reassess its involvement in internal security operations as part of wider reforms aimed at improving the nation’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.
