By Osaretin Osadebamwen
Former Nigerian Airforce NAF, Spokesman, Group Captain Sadiq Shehu (retd), has expressed serious concerns over the Federal Government’s plan to establish four new army divisions, describing the timeline and approach as unrealistic and lacking professional military analysis.
Speaking in an interview on Arise Tv, Shehu explained that in military science, every unit operates based on a Table of Organization and Equipment (TOE), which defines the required human resources, ranks, specializations, and total personnel strength.
He stated that a standard battalion should have between 6,000 to 9,000 officers and men, while United Nations operations require a minimum of 850 personnel per battalion for deployment.
“We need to find out, are our current battalions in these brigades, in these divisions, up to standard?” Shehu questioned, suggesting that existing units may already be understrength.
He noted that three battalions form a brigade, and three brigades form a division, emphasizing that equipment—including rifles, communication devices, vehicles, grenades, and radios—is just as critical as personnel.
“Military scientists agree we should be aiming from 90 to 100 percent total equipment. But where you have a battalion less than 60 percent TOE, definitely you will have a problem.”
Shehu argued that instead of creating new divisions, the government should first fix existing gaps in personnel and equipment within current units.
“Let us not make it as if it is a politically kind of deliberate decision, that every area need to have its division. That will not help the military. That will not help the country.”
He described the timeline—first three divisions by September and the last by December—as “not realistic,” stating that even a battalion cannot be made combat-ready within three to five months.
“It is very easy by presidential fiat to say, I’ve established a division. But to be honest, to have a ready division within three months or five months, it’s barely impossible.”
He questioned the plan to recruit 28,000 troops, noting that a single division requires 15,000 to 20,000 officers and men, making the numbers insufficient to populate four new divisions.
“If you have units already below TOE and you want to carry some and put them in new divisions, what you are doing is diluting. You are dismantling it and putting it in new divisions.”
Shehu called for a proper threat analysis, war-gaming scenarios, and a SWAT analysis to determine the army’s actual needs before expanding.
“Coming out to just throw a number, we need four additional divisions, to me, it as not a professional way of looking at it. What conclusion led to four divisions?”
He cited the example of the U.S. military, which plans to fight three simultaneous battles, and noted that Nigeria must similarly assess its capacity to fight bandits, terrorists, and external threats like Cameroon’s agile forces.
“The army received less than 5% for equipment this year. A unit without equipment cannot fight.” He referenced recent Senate debates on military funding shortfalls.
Shehu also addressed motivation, explaining that it goes beyond salary increases—from ₦40,000 to ₦100,000—to include rotations, medical evacuation, protective gear, housing, and education for soldiers’ families.
“Our soldiers are doing great work. In advanced militaries, you cannot put a soldier on the front line for more than 10 or 12 months. We have soldiers fighting for four years unbroken. It is not done.”
He emphasized that having more troops allows for proper rest and rotation, which is itself a motivation factor, and that soldiers should not have to buy their own equipment or uniforms.
Shehu concluded that while the President’s intention is good, the government should conduct proper threat analysis, fixing existing gaps, and ensuring sustainability before expanding the army’s divisional structure.
