1st Division (Nigeria)

The 1st Division is a formation of the Nigerian Army, which traces its history to 1967. It was established during the Nigerian civil war and is charged with securing its Area of Responsibility (AOR) covering the North Western flank of Nigeria and also ensuring that the borders located in its AOR are secured. The division is a mechanized infantry with affiliated combat support and combat service support units.[1]

In August–September 1967, 1 Area Command at Kaduna was redesignated 1 Infantry Division, and 2 Division was formed under Colonel Murtala Mohammed.[2]

At the end of the Civil War, the three divisions of the army were reorganised into four divisions, with each controlling territories running from North to South in order to deemphasise the former regional structure. Each division thus had access to the sea thereby making triservice cooperation and logistic support easier. This deployment formula was later abandoned in favour of the present assignment of sectors to the divisions. Thus 1 Division with HQ at Kaduna is allocated the North West sector; 2 Division with HQ at lbadan South West sector, 3 Division with HQ at Jos North East sector and 82 Division with HQ at Enugu South East sector.[3]

Division headquarters remains in Kaduna in the north-west.[4]

Divisional components
1 Division
241 Recce Battalion Nguru
1 Mechanised Brigade Sokoto
65 Mechanised Battalion
81 Motorised Battalion
223 Light Battalion

Other formations of the division include the 3rd Brigade (Kano), 41 Division Engineers, a signals formation of brigade size, and the 31st Artillery Brigade.[5] The existence of 3rd Brigade at Kano was corroborated by a May 2015 report of 1,000 soldiers dismissed "for allegedly disobeying orders during onslaughts against Boko Haram militants in the North-east."[6]

17 Brigade began its formation in late 2017, and was officially established on 20 February 2018 for internal security duties.[7] It became part of 1 Division.

Commanders
  • Col M. Shuwa Aug 67- Sep 69[8]
  • Brig I.D. Bisalla Sep 69 - Dec 73
  • Brig I.B. Haruna Dec 73 - Jul 75
  • Maj Gen I.A. Akinrinade Aug 75 - Jan 78
  • Brig D.Y. Bali Jan 78 - Sep 78
  • Brig P.A. Eromobor Sep 78 - Sep 79
  • Maj Gen G.A. Innih Oct 79 - Apr 80
  • Maj Gen D.N. Jemibewon Jan 80 - Nov 81
  • Maj Gen A.D. Aduloju FSS Jan 81- Aug 83
  • Maj Gen H.A. Hananiya Aug 83 -Jan 84
  • Brig J.O. Oni FSS Jan 84-Sep 85
  • Maj Gen P.I. Adomokhai Sep 85 -Oct 88
  • Maj Gen M.S. Sami Oct 88-Jan 90
  • Maj Gen I.O.S Nwachukwu Jan 90-Sep 90
  • Maj Gen A.A. Abubakar Sep 90-Nov 91
  • Brig Gen A.M. Daku Nov 91-Jan 93
  • Brig Gen J.N. Shagaya Jan 93 - Sep 93
  • Brig Gen MC Ali Sep 93 - Dec 93
  • Brig Gen AJ Kazir Dec 93 - Aug 94
  • Brig Gen A.A. Abdullahi Sep 94 - Apr 96
  • Brig Gen M.O. Sule Apr 96 - Jul 96
  • Maj Gen M.O. Sule Jul 96-Dec 96
  • Maj Gen A.S. Mukhtar Dec 96-Jun 99
  • Maj Gen A.O. Ogomudia 1Jul 99 - Apr 01
  • Maj Gen D.R.A. Ndefo May 1- Aug 02
  • Maj Gen S.A. Asemota Aug 02-Jan 05
  • Maj Gen O.A. Azazi Jan 05- Jul 06
  • Maj Gen L.O. Jokotola Jul 06 - 2007
  • Maj Gen M.B. Obi
  • Maj Gen K.A. Role 2008 - 2010
  • Maj Gen Shoboiki 2010 - 2012
  • Maj Gen G.A. Wahab 2012 - 2014
  • Maj Gen K.C. Osuji 2014–2015
  • Maj Gen A. Oyebade 2015- 2017
  • Maj Gen M. Mohammed Oct 2017 - 2018
  • Maj Gen F. Yahya 2018 - till date.

References
  1. "NIGERIAN ARMY 1 DIVISION". Nigerian Army. Archived from the original on 17 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  2. General Olunsegun Obasanjo, 'My Command: An Account of the Nigerian Civil War 1967-70,' Heinemann, Ibadan/London/Nairobi, p.18 (Via Joint Services Command and Staff College Library)
  3. "Post War Developments In The Nigerian Armed Forces". OnlineNigeria. 27 October 2002. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  4. "Army Games Begin in Abeokuta". Archived from the original on 2011-01-15. Retrieved 2013-10-26.
  5. Ravi Rikhye, Concise World Armies 2012, Orbat.com.
  6. "Army Sacks 1,000 Soldiers Over Boko Haram," Archived 2015-07-24 at the Wayback Machine, 26 May 2015
  7. "Army inaugurates 17 Brigade in Katsina". The Eagle Online. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  8. "Headquarters 1 Division | Nigerian Army | Official Website". Retrieved 2020-05-28.
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