A former Chief of Army Staff of Nigeria, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has described President Bola Tinubu’s approval of the expansion of the Nigerian Army as a turning point in the Nigerian national security architecture.
Buratai, who made the remarks on Monday in a paper titled ”A New Dawn for Nigerian Defence: The Strategic Expansion of the Nigerian Army to 12 Divisions”, made available to journalists in Abuja, described the approval as the most significant restructuring of Nigerian land forces in decades.
According to him, the approval for the expansion of the Nigerian army from its current number of eight divisions to 12 represents a strategic response to the country’s evolving security challenges.
He explained that the expansion underscores the Tinubu administration’s commitment to strengthening national defence and enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces.
Buratai noted that the previous eight-division structure had become inadequate in addressing the range and complexity of contemporary security threats across the country.
He also said that the new structure would decentralise command and control, improve operational responsiveness, strengthen intelligence coordination, and enhance logistics, troop deployment and inter-agency collaboration.
The former army chief commended Tinubu for approving the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to support the expanded force structure, noting that the move would ease operational pressure on troops while creating employment opportunities for thousands of Nigerian youths.
He lauded the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, for championing the restructuring initiative, describing the expansion as a demonstration of strategic foresight that would significantly enhance Nigeria’s capacity to combat terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats.
He said that the expansion would not only strengthen national security, but also reinforce democratic institutions.
According to him, a strong, professional and well-equipped military remains the ultimate guarantor of democratic governance, national unity and constitutional order, protecting the country against external aggression, internal subversion and other threats to national stability.
He added that citizens are more likely to embrace democratic values when they feel safe and adequately protected.
Describing the Nigerian Army as one of the strongest symbols of national unity, Buratai stated that its personnel are drawn from every ethnic, religious and regional background.
He added that the expansion will further strengthen national character and promote national cohesion.
He expressed confidence that the initiative will deepen democracy, foster national unity and guarantee lasting peace and stability.
Buratai urged Nigerians to support the military, stressing that security was a shared responsibility requiring collaboration among government, communities, the private sector and citizens.
He also appealed to state governments to provide land for barracks, training areas and other military infrastructure needed for the new divisions, while calling on the private sector to complement government efforts through investments in the accommodation, logistics and welfare of the troops.
According to him, a more secure Nigeria will provide the enabling environment for economic growth, infrastructure development and sustainable national prosperity.
GIK/APA