MAIDUGURI—Nigerian Army Command has established a new Division in
northern Borno as part of its strategic plans to boost military
operations against terrorists, particularly in areas around the Lake
Chad Basin.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai announced the
establishment of the Nigerian Army 8 Division on Wednesday, in Abuja
while delivering a lecture titled: ‘Nigerian Army: Challenges and Future
Perspectives,’ at the National Defence College, Abuja.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Army Command had in August
2013 established the 7th Infantry Division in Maiduguri to boost the
military’s counter-insurgency operation in the North-East.
Though details of the new establishment were not disclosed, Buratai
said the division would soon become fully operational with logistics and
manpower deployments.
The chief of army staff also said that plans were underway to
establish another division to be known as the Nigerian Army 6 Division
with Headquarters in the South-South region of the country.
He said the establishment of the new divisions was part of a
strategic plan to improve on the Nigerian Army’s operational
capabilities in the face of emerging threats to national security.
The Chief of Army Staff said the establishment of the additional
formations would bring the number of divisions in the Nigerian Army to
eight.
He said: “Emerging threats to the security of our nation which have
been aggravated by the proliferation of armed groups have added to the
task of the military in protecting the lives of Nigerians and the
integrity of its territory.”
“ The focus of the Nigerian Army today is to find lasting solutions
to these contemporary threats posed by the activities of the armed
groups and their allies.
“The Nigerian Army, therefore, remains poised to the extermination of
the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria; today, they can no longer hold
any territory as it used to be in the past that is why they have
resorted to the use of IEDs to hit soft targets.
“We have established the 8 division located in the northern part of
Borno specifically to clear the area of the remaining terrorists
elements while another division, 6 Division, will be established in the
South-South,” he said.
Buratai said the Army would embark on an ambitious expansion
programme to address manpower needs of the force to respond
appropriately to contemporary threats to national security.
INSURGENCY: Army establishes new Division in northern Borno
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