Making of a new chapter in Nigeria Army history

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has made the operationalisation of the Nigerian Army’s 83 Division in Benin a personal mission. Not in the ceremonial way, but in his dogged, infrastructure-heavy style that leaves no room for excuses but action. For him it is not just about hosting the new Division. It’s about positioning Edo State as the strategic security backbone of the South-South geopolitical zone as envisaged by the President and Commander in chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

And the governor is passionate about this. At the heart of his five-pillar SHINE agenda sits Security—the first pillar by design, not accident- the foundation upon which everything else in his administration rests. Healthcare cannot thrive in insecurity. Infrastructure cannot be built where criminality reigns. Natural resources cannot be explored or exploited either. Agriculture cannot flourish where farmers fear for their lives. Education cannot progress where communities are under siege.

The South-South region faces a unique security burden. Oil theft is an industry. Illegal refining has poisoned waterways and destroyed livelihoods. Maritime piracy makes creek transportation a gamble with lives. Communal clashes over water and land compete for military attention. These aren’t abstract policy problems—they are the daily realities that constrain development and prosperity in the region.

The new 83 Division of the Nigerian Army represents Governor Okpebholo’s wager that federal security architecture can be mobilized to address regional security failures. It’s not a substitute for state-level efforts—his government continues local policing and community engagement. But a full-strength military division with specialized focus on oil and gas infrastructure protection, maritime security, and organized crime disruption offers what local forces cannot: surveillance capacity, rapid response capability, and inter-state coordination. These gaps have cost the region billions in stolen crude and incalculable lives lost to preventable violence.

As it were, the 83 Division is one of four new Nigerian Army divisions approved by President Bola Tinubu, alongside the 5 Division in Makurdi, 9 Division in Ilorin and 10 Division in Jalingo. The newly established 83 Division, with Headquarters in Benin City, will cover Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States when activated. But what makes this division special—and why the governor is pushing so hard—goes beyond administrative reorganisation.

The new Division when fully operational will have the operational mandate of safeguarding critical oil and gas infrastructure, neutralizing crude oil theft and illegal refining networks, and maintaining internal security across the riverine and forest terrains of the region.

And so begin the journey to Teboga in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of the State. A journey that is less like a pilgrimage to a military installation and more like watching a vision take concrete form. What was once neglected and forgotten, bushy, and an abandoned land in a matter of weeks is now cleared and ordered—a testament to how quickly things can move when a governor decides they matter.

During his inspection visit recently, the governor moved through the facility like a man ticking off a mental checklist. The site clearance? Done. The fencing? Next. Temporary accommodation? Ready. He wasn’t speaking in vague promises or diplomatic language. He was speaking in timelines and deliverables, the vocabulary of someone who understands that military hardware sits idle without infrastructure to house it.

“Last time we came here about two weeks ago, this place was very bushy, but today you can see everywhere is cleared and the next thing now is fencing,” Okpebholo said during the inspection. “We are set for the 83 Division here in Edo State, by the grace of God. Everything needed to complete this place for the military to inhabit here is ready and we are set.”

That’s not boasting—though in Nigerian politics, the line between confidence and boasting blurs easily. It’s the voice of a governor who has already moved the needle. Environmental sanitation, rehabilitation of existing structures and other preparatory works were already underway, while contractors had promised to deploy additional bulldozers to accelerate construction.

What’s striking about Governor Okpebholo’s approach is that he isn’t treating the 83 Division as a federal project that happens to be in Edo State. He’s treating it as a state project. He’s fighting for it. He’s clearing obstacles. He’s ensuring that when the general officers and their personnel arrive, they find not just barracks, but a state that has invested in welcoming them. That matters more than government press releases typically let on.

The governor’s reasoning about location reveals something else entirely. Edo, he argued, sits at the geographic heart of a region that needs military attention. The establishment of the new Divisions will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide.

“Edo is a central point. We have work to do in the South-South. That is why we were called Mid-West and the headquarters of Mid-West was in Benin, and we are still in Benin today,” Governor Okpebholo said. “So, putting a division here, in the wisdom of Mr President, is a great thing for the South-South. We are happy because Mr President thought rightly for this to be in Edo.”

This is a statement that sits comfortably in Nigeria’s political tradition—acknowledge the president’s wisdom while subtly reminding everyone of your state’s historical importance. But there’s genuine gratification underneath. The 83 Division choosing Benin isn’t accidental. It’s recognition. And Governor Okpebholo intends to honour that recognition through action.

The Governor has expressed confidence that the facility would be ready within the next weeks, adding that alternative temporary office spaces were available if required for the division’s immediate take-off. That kind of flexibility—having backup plans—speaks to someone who has thought through the logistics. Not every governor in Nigeria operates this way. Many would have made the announcement and disappeared. Okpebholo is staying on the ground, inspecting sites, holding contractors accountable.

The military side is equally committed. Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, Commander of 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, said the inspection was a follow-up to assess progress. “The work is progressing steadily and we are optimistic that the operationalisation of the division will commence in the nearest future as pronounced, while other amenities and facilities are being incorporated,” Balogun said.

At the community level, the excitement is real. When land transforms from a hideout for criminals into a space where military infrastructure rises, people notice. The security implications alone justify the investment. One community leader, His Royal Highness Dogwo Bako, didn’t mince words. “The governor has cleared the area, and it was previously a hideout for criminals. The transformation has given us confidence.”

That’s the dividend of infrastructure development that spreadsheets miss. A community that feels safer. A region that feels less abandoned by the federal government. A state that is actively building, not just complaining about neglect.

The 83 Division operationalisation timeline runs through December 2026. That’s less than three months away. For a major military infrastructure project in Nigeria, that’s an aggressive schedule. Governor Okpebholo is set to hit the target in a manner that shows how serious his government is about supporting federal security operations in Edo State.

For now, the bulldozers are moving. The land is clearing. And in Benin, a new chapter in the state’s military history is being written—one cleared acre at a time.

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Dr. Ebojele has his PhD in Public Administration and is the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State.