Army Expansion Must Be Matched With Personnel, Equipment, Logistics — Ex-CDS Irabor

Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (retd.), has said the Federal Government’s plan to expand the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions must be backed by substantial investment in personnel, equipment and logistics to achieve its intended objectives.

Speaking on The Morning Show on Arise Television on Wednesday, Irabor described the proposed expansion as a step in the right direction but cautioned that it carries significant operational and administrative demands.

He said the existing eight divisions should first be adequately equipped and staffed before the military establishes additional formations.

“The expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight divisions to 12 divisions is the right step in the right direction,” Irabor said.

The retired general commended President Bola Tinubu for demonstrating an understanding of the challenges facing the Armed Forces, expressing optimism that similar attention would be extended to the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force.

“It is quite heartwarming to know that the Commander-in-Chief himself is well abreast of the shortcomings of the military. If he is starting with the Army, perhaps that is a good step. I believe that the Navy and the Air Force will be part of the efforts,” he said.

Irabor, however, stressed that increasing the number of divisions would require significant resources, including trained personnel, operational equipment, logistics support and adequate infrastructure.

“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 added.

The former defence chief also welcomed the Federal Government’s proposal to recruit 28,000 additional soldiers, describing it as a positive move towards addressing manpower shortages in the military.

According to him, while the planned recruitment represents only slightly more than the strength of a single division, it is an important starting point in strengthening the Army’s operational capacity.

He further noted that the recruitment drive would also require corresponding investments in accommodation, training facilities and welfare for the new personnel to ensure the expansion delivers meaningful results.