There are Indications that a division of the army would be set up in the Niger Delta region with a mandate to protect the country’s economic and territorial assets.
It was learnt that the new division to be fashioned after the 7th Division now in charge of the north east would checkmate terrorism and cross border banditry, monitor intelligence reports about militant youths being mobilised by unpatriotic politicians to cause trouble.
When it becomes a reality, it would balance the equation of Nigerian Army divisions like the 81 Division in Lagos, 2nd Division in Ibadan, 1st Infantry Division Kaduna, Enugu 82 division, 3 Division in Jos and 7th Division, Maiduguri.
Observers expressed the need for a solid army base in the region since ad-hoc platforms such as the Special Task Force for the Niger Delta, ‘Operation Pulo Shield’ are temporary arrangement.
It was gathered that the recent promotion of 27 Major Generals and about 70 Brigadier Generals in the Nigerian Army was connected with the idea of setting up the new division.
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