FG Approves Take-Off of Nigerian Army’s 6 Div for S-South

Indications have emerged in Abuja that the Federal Government has given approval for the establishment of 6 Amphibious Division of Nigerian Army for the South-South, with its headquarters would be based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

 Already, the division, which will have components of artillery, infantry and armoured units as part of its operational order and composition, has a GOC appointed as its inaugural commander. Soldiers doing what they know best, parade. Soldiers doing what they know best, parade.

The new General Officer Commanding the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army is Major-General K. I. Abdulkarim. Abdukarim was until his appointment, the General Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan. The take-off of the 6 Division brings the number of Army divisions in the country to nine. They include 81 Division, Lagos; 82 Division, Enugu; 1 Division, Kaduna; 2 Division, Ibadan; 3 Division, Jos; 7 Division, Maiduguri; and 8 Division for the areas bordering Lake Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

We gathered that the appointment of the GOC 6 Division followed a major shakeup in Army High Command carried out by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. - General Tukur Buratai. The shakeup resulted in the appointment of three new General Officers Commanding for the Nigerian Army. They are Major-General Oyefolu, GOC 81 Division, Lagos; Brigadier General CM Abraham is the Acting GOC 2 Division, Ibadan, and Major General Abdukarim for 6 Division, which will be based in Port Harcourt.

Other major appointments include that of a new Chief of Operations and Training for the Nigerian Army. He is Major General DD Ahmadu. He takes over from Major General H Umaru. Major General H Umaru has been posted as the Commandant of the Training and Doctrine Command in Niger State. A new Chief of Operations and Training has also been appointed for the Defence Headquarters. He is Major General Ahmed Mohammed. Until his new appointment, Major General Mohammed was the Commandant, Infantry Centre in Jaji, Kaduna.

 Major General OO Adeleke is the new Commandant, Nigerian Army Engineers, Major General IH Edet is the new Commandant, Infantry Centre, Jaji. He was formerly the General Officer Commanding 81 division, Lagos. Major General KC Duru is the new Commandant, Nigerian Army College of Logistics, Major General IM AlkalI is the new Director, Veterans Affairs at Defence headquarters, Major General M Mohammed is the new Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation. Some Generals who were seconded to ASCON, the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, Badagry are Major General PA Falolu-ASCON, Major Gen Ndiomu-ASCON, Major General ECN Obi, ASCON.

For the Brigadier Generals, Brig General OU Obono from Department of Army Training and Operation to NACA, Brig General Jalingo-Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence, Brig General Agundu is the new Director, Foreign Liaison, at Defence Intelligence Agency; Brig General Ude is moved to Nigerian Army Technology Innovation Center. Brig I Garba, is the Brigade Commander, 4 Brigade Benin, Brigadier General GK Nwosu, Commander 1 Brigade, Sokoto, Brig General KO Aligbe while Commander 16 Brigade.