🇳🇬 Nigerian Army Accelerates Expansion Matrix as COAS Assures Operationalization of 83 Division in Benin

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army's commitment to expanding its force structure and strengthening operational capabilities to address emerging security challenges across the nation.

Desk: Defence & Security 

Date: 05 November 2026 

Time: 21:00 WAT 

Location: 📍 Benin City, 

The Army Chief issued the operational commitment during an official visit to the Executive Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, at the Government House in Benin City.

Highlighting a strategic milestone in the military's structural transformation, Lieutenant General Shaibu assured the state leadership that the newly established 83 Division, headquartered in Benin City, will soon become fully operational. 

He explained that the new formation is an integral part of the Nigerian Army's expansion from 8 to 12 Divisions, designed to elevate military posture, optimize command-and-control networks, and shorten rapid response timelines across Edo State and the broader South-South region.

The Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, confirmed the high-level military-state engagement and structural expansion drive in an official statement.

During the visit, the Chief of Army Staff conducted an operational assessment of Headquarters 4 Brigade and commissioned landmark welfare projects, including the Affordable Home Ownership Option for Soldiers (AHOOAS) scheme alongside key Civil-Military Cooperation initiatives designed to deepen community integration and elevate troop welfare.

Responding to the military delegation, the Executive Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, commended the Nigerian Army for its operational professionalism and vital role in maintaining peace within the state, pledging sustained logistical support and administrative collaboration from his government to guarantee long-term regional stability.

🏷 Tags: Nigerian Army, Waidi Shaibu, 83 Division, Monday Okpebholo, Edo State, Appolonia Anele, Benin City, Defense Expansion

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