Nigerian Army
Encyclopedia
The Nigerian Army the largest of the Nigerian Armed Forces, has about 100,000 professional personnel. The original elements of the Royal West African Frontier Force
(RWAFF) in Nigeria were formed in 1900.
During the Second World War, British-trained Nigerian troops saw action with the 1st (West Africa) Infantry Brigade
, the 81st
and the 82nd (West Africa) Division
s which fought in the East African Campaign (World War II)
and in the Far East.
In Nigeria, from a force of 8,000 in five infantry battalions and supporting units, strength rose to around 120,000 in three divisions by the end of the Nigerian Civil War
in 1970. In terms of doctrine, the task of the Federal Nigerian army did not fundamentally change: its task remained to close with and defeat an organised enemy.
The rapid expansion saw a severe decline in troop quality. The Nigerian expansion process led to an extreme shortage of commissioned officers, with newly-created lieutenant-colonels commanding brigades, and platoons and companies often commanded by sergeants and warrant officers. This resulted in tentative command-and-control and in rudimentary staff work. One result of the weak direction was that the Federals' three divisions fought independently, and competed for men and materiel. Writing in a 1984 study, Major Michael Stafford of the US Marine Corps noted that "Inexperienced, poorly trained and ineptly led soldiers manifested their lack of professionalism and indiscipline by massacres of innocent civilians and a failure to effectively execute infantry tactics." Among the results was the 1967 Asaba massacre
.
The influence of individual personalities are generally greater in the armies of developing states, as they tend to have weaker institutional frameworks. Key personalities involved in Nigeria included then-Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo. Obasanjo is particularly important due to his efforts to reorganise his command, 3 Division, during the civil war to improve its logistics and administration. The reorganisation he instituted made the Division capable of carrying out the offensive that ended the civil war.
The Nigerian Army fought the civil war significantly under-resourced; Obasanjo's memoirs chronicle the lack of any stocks of extra equipment for mobilisation, and the "haphazard and unreliable system of procurement and provisioning" which lasted for the entire period of the war. Arms embargoes imposed by several Western countries made the situation more difficult.
Divisions in the Nigerian Army were first formed during the Nigerian Civil War
, when in August–September 1967, 1 Area Command at Kaduna
was redesignated 1 Infantry Division, 2 Division was formed under Colonel Murtala Mohammed
, and the then Lagos Garrison Organisation was renamed 3 Infantry Division, later to become 3 Marine Commando Division.
"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."
Its formations include the 1st Division, headquartered in Kaduna
in the north-west, and 2nd Division (HQ Ibadan
in the South-West, which includes 32 Artillery Brigade at Abeokuta
). 2nd Division also possibly includes 4 Brigade at Benin City
, with 19 Battalion at Okitipupa
and 195 Battalion at Agenebode
. 52 Signal Regiment may be the divisional signals unit. 3rd Armoured Division's headquarters is at Rukuba Cantonment, Jos
, in the North-East, and includes 21 Armoured Brigade Maiduguri
, 23 Brigade Yola
, and 33 Artillery Brigades. 81st Division (Amphibious) HQ in Lagos, which includes the 9th Brigade, based at the Ikeja
compound in Lagos, 82nd Division (Airborne and Amphibious) HQ in Enugu
in the South-East, which includes the 2 Brigade at Port Harcourt, 13 Brigade at Calabar and the 34 Artillery Brigade at Obinze
/Owerri
. The Composite Division at Enugu was formed in 1964 as 4th Infantry Division, in 1975 became Lagos Garrison Organization; in 1981 became 4th Composite Division; became a Composite Division in May 2002. 3rd Armoured Division was responsible in 1983 for the security of areas bordering Chad
.
Lagos and Abuja have garrison commands with the Lagos garrison as large as a division. 81 Division was the youngest Division in the Nigerian Army. The Division was formed on 26 May 2002 when the Lagos Garrison Command (as it then was) was upgraded to a full-fledged Division. The Division therefore inherited the security roles hitherto performed by the defunct Lagos Garrison Command. However a later undated article in a Nigerian online newspaper says the 81 Division was later again renamed the Lagos Garrison Command. In the 1980s, the Army's brigades included the 7th Infantry Brigade in Sokoto. There are also Divisional Artillery Brigades, among which are the 32 and 34 Artillery Brigades, ordinance corps units as well as Combat Engineer Regiments, and many other service support units spread across the country.
Training and Doctrine Command was formed in 1981, and is located at Minna
. It supervises the army's schools, including the Depot. The Army sponsors the Nigerian Military School
at Zaria
.
regime announced that Nigeria could no longer afford an activist anti-colonial role in Africa. Anglophone
ECOWAS members established ECOMOG, dominated by the Nigerian Army, in 1990 to intervene in the civil war in Liberia. The Army has demonstrated its capability to mobilize, deploy, and sustain brigade-sized forces in support of peacekeeping operations in Liberia
. Smaller army forces have been previously sent on UN and ECOWAS deployments in the former Yugoslavia
, Angola
, Rwanda
, Somalia
, and Sierra Leone
.
That policy statement did not deter Nigeria under Generals Ibrahim Babangida
in 1990 and Sani Abacha
in 1997 from sending peacekeeping troops as part of ECOMOG under the auspices of ECOWAS into Liberia
and later Sierra Leone
when civil wars broke out in those countries. President Olusegun Obasanjo in August 2003 committed Nigerian troops once again into Liberia, at the urging of the United States, to provide an interim presence until the UN's force UNMIL arrived. Charles Taylor was subsequently eased out of power and exiled to Nigeria.
In October 2004, Nigerian troops again deployed into Darfur
, Sudan to spearhead an AU
force to protect civilians in Darfur.
Nigeria claimed to have contributed more than 20,000 troops and police officers to various UN missions since 1960. The Nigeria Police Force
and troops have served in places like UNIPOM (UN India-Pakistan Observer mission) 1965, UNIFIL in Lebanon
1978, the UN observer mission, UNIIMOG supervising the Iran-Iraq ceasefire in 1988, former Yugoslavia
1998, East Timor
1999, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(MONUC) 2004.
Nigerian officers have served as chiefs of defence in other countries, with Brigadier General Maxwell Khobe serving as Sierra Leone chief of staff in 1998-1999, and Nigerian officers acting as Command Officer-in-Charge of the Armed Forces of Liberia
from at least 2007.
Royal West African Frontier Force
The West African Frontier Force was a multi-battalion field force, formed by the British Colonial Office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Nigeria, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone and Gambia. The decision to raise this force was taken in 1897 because of concern at French colonial...
(RWAFF) in Nigeria were formed in 1900.
During the Second World War, British-trained Nigerian troops saw action with the 1st (West Africa) Infantry Brigade
1st (West Africa) Infantry Brigade
The 1st Infantry Brigade was an infantry formation of the British Army during World War II. It was formed in 1940 from battalions of the Royal West African Frontier Force and served in the East African campaign against the Italians and against the Japanese in Burma.-History:The 1st Infantry...
, the 81st
81st (West Africa) Division
The 81st Division was formed under British control during World War II. It took part in the Burma Campaign.-History:The inspiration for the division's formation came from General George Giffard, commander of the British Army's West Africa Command, who subsequently commanded India Command's Eastern...
and the 82nd (West Africa) Division
82nd (West Africa) Division
The 82nd Division was formed under British control during World War II. It took part in the later stages of the Burma Campaign and was disbanded in Burma between May and September 1946.-Formation:...
s which fought in the East African Campaign (World War II)
East African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
and in the Far East.
In Nigeria, from a force of 8,000 in five infantry battalions and supporting units, strength rose to around 120,000 in three divisions by the end of the Nigerian Civil War
Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
in 1970. In terms of doctrine, the task of the Federal Nigerian army did not fundamentally change: its task remained to close with and defeat an organised enemy.
The rapid expansion saw a severe decline in troop quality. The Nigerian expansion process led to an extreme shortage of commissioned officers, with newly-created lieutenant-colonels commanding brigades, and platoons and companies often commanded by sergeants and warrant officers. This resulted in tentative command-and-control and in rudimentary staff work. One result of the weak direction was that the Federals' three divisions fought independently, and competed for men and materiel. Writing in a 1984 study, Major Michael Stafford of the US Marine Corps noted that "Inexperienced, poorly trained and ineptly led soldiers manifested their lack of professionalism and indiscipline by massacres of innocent civilians and a failure to effectively execute infantry tactics." Among the results was the 1967 Asaba massacre
Asaba massacre
The Asaba massacre occurred on 7 October 1967, during the Biafran Civil War in Nigeria. Federal troops of Nigeria entered Asaba, rounded up as many as 500 Igbo men of Asaba and shot them.- Mass graves:The victims were buried in mass graves...
.
The influence of individual personalities are generally greater in the armies of developing states, as they tend to have weaker institutional frameworks. Key personalities involved in Nigeria included then-Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo. Obasanjo is particularly important due to his efforts to reorganise his command, 3 Division, during the civil war to improve its logistics and administration. The reorganisation he instituted made the Division capable of carrying out the offensive that ended the civil war.
The Nigerian Army fought the civil war significantly under-resourced; Obasanjo's memoirs chronicle the lack of any stocks of extra equipment for mobilisation, and the "haphazard and unreliable system of procurement and provisioning" which lasted for the entire period of the war. Arms embargoes imposed by several Western countries made the situation more difficult.
Structure
Divisions in the Nigerian Army were first formed during the Nigerian Civil War
Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
, when in August–September 1967, 1 Area Command at Kaduna
Kaduna
Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census...
was redesignated 1 Infantry Division, 2 Division was formed under Colonel Murtala Mohammed
Murtala Mohammed
General Murtala Ramat Mohammed born was a military ruler of Nigeria from 1975 until his assassination in 1976.-Role during 1960s coups:...
, and the then Lagos Garrison Organisation was renamed 3 Infantry Division, later to become 3 Marine Commando Division.
"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."
Its formations include the 1st Division, headquartered in Kaduna
Kaduna
Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census...
in the north-west, and 2nd Division (HQ Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
in the South-West, which includes 32 Artillery Brigade at Abeokuta
Abeokuta
Abeokuta is the largest city and capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria and is situated at , on the Ogun River; 64 miles north of Lagos by railway, or 81 miles by water. As of 2005, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 593,140....
). 2nd Division also possibly includes 4 Brigade at Benin City
Benin City
Benin City, is a city and the capital of Edo State in southern Nigeria. It is a city approximately twenty-five miles north of the Benin River. It is situated 200 miles by road east of Lagos...
, with 19 Battalion at Okitipupa
Okitipupa
Okitipupa is a Local Government Area in Ondo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Okitipupa, with a university that will commence academy in year 2010/2011 section: Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa ....
and 195 Battalion at Agenebode
Agenebode
Agenebode is a serene, water-side town located by the banks of the Niger River in Edo State,South South geo political zone of [Nigeria]. It is the headquarters of Etsako-East local council of Edo State and the traditional capital of Weppa Wanno Kingdom....
. 52 Signal Regiment may be the divisional signals unit. 3rd Armoured Division's headquarters is at Rukuba Cantonment, Jos
Jos
Jos is a city in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.The city has a population of about 1.5 million residents. Popularly called "J-town" or "Jesus Our Saviour" by the residents, it is the administrative capital of Plateau State....
, in the North-East, and includes 21 Armoured Brigade Maiduguri
Maiduguri
Maiduguri, also fondly called Yerwa by its locals, is the capital and the largest city of Borno State in north-eastern Nigeria. The city sits along the seasonal Ngadda River which disappears into the Firki swamps in the areas around Lake Chad...
, 23 Brigade Yola
Yola, Nigeria
Yola is the capital city and administrative center of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Located on the Benue River, it has a population of 88,500 . Established in 1841, Yola was the capital of a Fulani state until it was taken by the British in 1901. Daytime temperatures can easily exceed during the dry...
, and 33 Artillery Brigades. 81st Division (Amphibious) HQ in Lagos, which includes the 9th Brigade, based at the Ikeja
Ikeja
Ikeja is an outer-ring suburb of the city of Lagos and capital of Lagos State. It is also one of Nigeria's 774 Local Government Areas . The Murtala Mohammed International Airport is located there...
compound in Lagos, 82nd Division (Airborne and Amphibious) HQ in Enugu
Enugu
Enugu is the capital of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in the southeastern area of Nigeria and is largely populated by members of the Igbo ethnic group. The city has a population of 722,664 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. The name Enugu is derived from the two Igbo words Enu Ugwu...
in the South-East, which includes the 2 Brigade at Port Harcourt, 13 Brigade at Calabar and the 34 Artillery Brigade at Obinze
Obinze
Obinze is a village in southeastern Nigeria, located near the city of Owerri. Obinze comprises six clans: Umuagam, Obokwu, Umuekpu, Umueje, Umuezoroche, and Umuanunu....
/Owerri
Owerri
Owerri is the capital of Imo State in Nigeria, set in the heart of the Igboland. Owerri consists of three Local Govern Areas including Owerri Municipal, Owerri North and Owerri West, it has an estimated population of about 400,000 as of 2006...
. The Composite Division at Enugu was formed in 1964 as 4th Infantry Division, in 1975 became Lagos Garrison Organization; in 1981 became 4th Composite Division; became a Composite Division in May 2002. 3rd Armoured Division was responsible in 1983 for the security of areas bordering Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
.
Lagos and Abuja have garrison commands with the Lagos garrison as large as a division. 81 Division was the youngest Division in the Nigerian Army. The Division was formed on 26 May 2002 when the Lagos Garrison Command (as it then was) was upgraded to a full-fledged Division. The Division therefore inherited the security roles hitherto performed by the defunct Lagos Garrison Command. However a later undated article in a Nigerian online newspaper says the 81 Division was later again renamed the Lagos Garrison Command. In the 1980s, the Army's brigades included the 7th Infantry Brigade in Sokoto. There are also Divisional Artillery Brigades, among which are the 32 and 34 Artillery Brigades, ordinance corps units as well as Combat Engineer Regiments, and many other service support units spread across the country.
Training and Doctrine Command was formed in 1981, and is located at Minna
Minna
Minna is a city in west central Nigeria. It's the capital of Niger State, one of Nigeria's 36 federal states, and is the headquarters of Chanchaga Local Government Area.- Geography :...
. It supervises the army's schools, including the Depot. The Army sponsors the Nigerian Military School
Nigerian Military School
The history of the Nigerian Military School Zaria dates back to 1954 when the Boys-Company of Nigeria was established under the auspices of Nigerian Regiment Training centre of the Royal West African Frontier Force . The school was established along with three others in the British Colonial West...
at Zaria
Zaria
Zaria may refer to:*Zaria, a city in Kaduna State, Nigeria*Zaria , or Zoria, the Slavic goddess of beauty*Countess Zaria of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van Amsberg, a member of the Dutch royal family...
.
Nigerian military forces abroad
In December 1983, the new Major General Muhammadu BuhariMuhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
regime announced that Nigeria could no longer afford an activist anti-colonial role in Africa. Anglophone
English-speaking world
The English-speaking world consists of those countries or regions that use the English language to one degree or another. For more information, please see:Lists:* List of countries by English-speaking population...
ECOWAS members established ECOMOG, dominated by the Nigerian Army, in 1990 to intervene in the civil war in Liberia. The Army has demonstrated its capability to mobilize, deploy, and sustain brigade-sized forces in support of peacekeeping operations in Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. Smaller army forces have been previously sent on UN and ECOWAS deployments in the former Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, and Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
.
That policy statement did not deter Nigeria under Generals Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
in 1990 and Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
in 1997 from sending peacekeeping troops as part of ECOMOG under the auspices of ECOWAS into Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
and later Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
when civil wars broke out in those countries. President Olusegun Obasanjo in August 2003 committed Nigerian troops once again into Liberia, at the urging of the United States, to provide an interim presence until the UN's force UNMIL arrived. Charles Taylor was subsequently eased out of power and exiled to Nigeria.
In October 2004, Nigerian troops again deployed into Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
, Sudan to spearhead an AU
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
force to protect civilians in Darfur.
Nigeria claimed to have contributed more than 20,000 troops and police officers to various UN missions since 1960. The Nigeria Police Force
Nigeria Police Force
The Nigeria Police formerly known as the Nigeria Police Force is the national police of Nigeria.-Authority:The Nigeria Police Force is designated by Section 194 of the 1979 constitution as the national police of Nigeria with exclusive jurisdiction throughout the country...
and troops have served in places like UNIPOM (UN India-Pakistan Observer mission) 1965, UNIFIL in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
1978, the UN observer mission, UNIIMOG supervising the Iran-Iraq ceasefire in 1988, former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
1998, East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
1999, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
(MONUC) 2004.
Nigerian officers have served as chiefs of defence in other countries, with Brigadier General Maxwell Khobe serving as Sierra Leone chief of staff in 1998-1999, and Nigerian officers acting as Command Officer-in-Charge of the Armed Forces of Liberia
Armed Forces of Liberia
The Armed Forces of Liberia are the armed forces of the Republic of Liberia. Founded as the Liberian Frontier Force in 1908, the military was retitled in 1956. For virtually all of its history, the AFL has received considerable materiel and training assistance from the United States. For most of...
from at least 2007.
Chiefs of the Nigerian Army
Following is a chronological list of officers holding the position of General Officer Commanding (GOC) or Chief of Army Staff (COAS).| Officer | Title | Period Served | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maj-Gen. Kenneth G. Exham | 1956–1960 | Duke of Wellington's Regiment Duke of Wellington's Regiment The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days... |
|
| Major-General Foster | GOC | ||
| Major General Sir Christopher Welby-Everard | GOC | 1963–1965 | Last British GOC |
| Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi was a Nigerian soldier. He served as the Head of State of Nigeria from January 16, 1966 until he was overthrown and killed on July 29, 1966 by a group of northern army officers who revolted against the government.- Early life :Thomas Umunnakwe... |
GOC | 1965–1966 | Later military ruler |
| Lt Col Yakubu Gowon Yakubu Gowon General Yakubu "Jack" Dan-Yumma Gowon was the head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. He took power after one military coup d'etat and was overthrown in another... FSS |
COAS | Jan 1966 - Jul 1966 | Later military ruler |
| Lt Col Joseph Akahan Joseph Akahan Lt. Colonel Joseph Akahan was Chief of Army Staff from May 1967 until May 1968, when he was killed in a helicopter crash during the Nigerian Civil War.-Birth and education:... OFR FSS |
COAS | May 1967 - May 1968 | |
| Maj Gen Hassan Katsina Hassan Katsina Hassan Katsina was a Nigerian General and son of Usman Nagogo, the emir of Katsina from 1944-1981. He was governor of the Northern Region of Nigeria from 1966-1967... rcds psc |
COAS | May 1968 - Jan 1971 | |
| Maj Gen David Ejoor David Ejoor Major-General David Akpode Ejoor rcds psc is a retired Nigerian Army officer and politician. He was once governor of the now-defunct Mid-Western Region. David Ejoor was the governor of the Mid-Western State of Nigeria, during the Biafra Civil War. He then served as Chief of Army Staff from January... |
COAS | Jan 1971 - Jul 1975 | |
| Lt Gen Theophilus Danjuma Theophilus Danjuma General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma GCON FSS psc is a Nigerian Jukun soldier, politician and billionaire businessman. He was Nigerian Army Chief of Army Staff from July 1975 to October 1979. He was formerly Minister of Defence under Olusegun Obasanjo... |
COAS | Jul 1975 - Oct 1979 | |
| Lt Gen Ipoola Alani Akinrinade Ipoola Alani Akinrinade Lt. General Ipoola Alani Akinrinade CFR FSS was Chief of Army Staff , Nigeria from October 1979 to April 1980, and then Chief of Defence Staff until 1981 during the Nigerian Second Republic.-Birth and education:... CFR FSS |
COAS | Oct 1979 - Apr 1980 | nil |
| Lt Gen Gibson Jalo Gibson Jalo Lt. General Gibson Sanda Jalo CFR FSS JSS was Chief of Army Staff from April 1980 until October 1981.-Birth and education:Jalo was born on 01 March 1939 at Demsa in Adamawa State.... CFR FSS JSS |
COAS | Apr 1980 - Oct 1981 | |
| Lt Gen Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Lt. General Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi CFR GCON was Chief of Army Staff , Nigeria from October 1981 to October 1983 during the Nigerian Second Republic.-Army career:... CFR FSS |
COAS | Oct 1981 - Oct 1983 | |
| Maj Gen Ibrahim Babangida Ibrahim Babangida General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria... |
COAS | Jan 1984 - Aug 1985 | Later military ruler |
| Lt Gen Sani Abacha Sani Abacha General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998.... GCON, DSS mni |
COAS | Aug 1985 - Aug 1990 | Later military ruler |
| Lt Gen Salihu Ibrahim Salihu Ibrahim Lt. General Salihu Ibrahim FSS FHWC was Chief of Army Staff from August 1990 until September 1993 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.Ibrahim joined the army in 1956.... FSS FHWC |
COAS | Aug 1990 - Sept 1993 | |
| Lt Gen Aliyu Gusau Mohammed DSS rcds | COAS | Sep 1993 - Nov 1993 | |
| Maj Gen Chris Alli Chris Alli Major General Mohammed Chris Alli was military governor of Plateau State from August 1985 to 1986 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida... CRG DSS ndc psc(+) |
COAS | Nov 1993 - Aug 1994?? | |
| Maj Gen Alwali Kazir Alwali Kazir Major General Alwali Kazir was a Military Governor of Kwara State, Nigeria from December 1989 to January 1992 during the military regime of Major General Ibrahim Babangida, handing over to the elected civilian governor Shaaba Lafiaji at the start of the Nigerian Third Republic.Kwara state has a... DSS Usawc psc(+) |
COAS | Aug 1994 - Mar 1996 | |
| Lt Gen Victor Malu Victor Malu Lt. General Victor Samuel Leonard Malu DSS mni fwc psc was commander of the ECOMOG peace-keeping force in Liberia from December 1996 to April 1998, and was Chief of Army Staff from May 1999 until April 2001.-Birth and education:... DSS mni fwc psc |
COAS | May 1999 - Apr 2001 | |
| Lt Gen Alexander Ogomudia Alexander Ogomudia General Alexander Odeareduo Ogomudia CFR DSS fwc psc MSc FNSE was a Nigerian Army officer.... |
COAS | Apr 2001 - Jun 2003 | Later Chief of Defence Staff Chief of the Defence Staff (Nigeria) The Chief of Defence Staff is the highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.... (CDS). |
| Lt Gen Martin Luther Agwai Martin Luther Agwai -Early life and education:Agwai was born on November 8, 1948 in Kaduna, a city in Northern Nigeria. He hails from a Christian home and was the President of Fellowship of Christian Students at Government Secondary School, Zaria in 1967.... |
COAS | Jun 2003 Jun 2006 | Later Commander of the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur The African Union – United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur is a joint African Union and United Nations peacekeeping mission formally approved by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1769 on July 31, 2007, to bring stability to the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan while peace talks on a... . |
| Lt Gen Owoye Andrew Azazi Owoye Andrew Azazi General Owoye Andrew Azazi CFR FSS MSS DSS GSS psc fwc is the National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and a former Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria. The Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo made this appointment.General Azazi also served as the Chief of Army... |
COAS | 1 June 2006 - May 2007 | Later Chief of Defence Staff Chief of the Defence Staff (Nigeria) The Chief of Defence Staff is the highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.... (CDS). |
| Lt Gen Luka Yusuf CFR GSS GPP DSO psc(+) fwc Msc | COAS | Jun 2007 - Aug 2008 | |
| Lt Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau CFR GSS psc ndc fwc(+) PhD | COAS | Aug 2008 - Sept 2010 | |
| Lt Gen Onyabor Azubuike Ihejirika | COAS | Sept 2010 - Date |
Small arms
- Beretta M 1951Beretta M 1951The M 1951 is a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, developed during the late 1940s and early 1950s by Pietro Beretta S.p.A. of Italy. The pistol was produced strictly for military use and was introduced into service with the Italian Army and security forces as the Modello 1951 , replacing the 9 mm...
pistol
Italy - Walther P5Walther P5The Walther P5 is a 9mm semi-automatic pistol developed in the mid-1970s by the German small arms manufacturer Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen. It was designed with the German police forces in mind, who sought to replace existing 7.65mm pistols with a modern service sidearm incorporating enhanced...
pistol
Germany - Browning Hi-PowerBrowning Hi-PowerThe Browning Hi-Power is a single-action, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. It is based on a design by American firearms inventor John Browning, and completed by Dieudonné Saive at Fabrique Nationale of Herstal, Belgium. Browning died in 1926, several years before the design was finalized...
pistol
Belgium\
United States - AK-47AK-47The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
Soviet Union - M16 rifleM16 rifleThe M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
- FN FALFN FALThe Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL is a self-loading, selective fire battle rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal . During the Cold War it was adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, with the notable exception of the United States...
rifle Belgium - Heckler & Koch G3Heckler & Koch G3The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....
rifle Germany - FN FNCFN FNCThe FNC is a 5.56mm assault rifle developed by the Belgian arms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale of Herstal and introduced in the late 1970s.-Development:...
rifle Belgium - Daewoo K2Daewoo K2The Daewoo Precision Industries K2 is an assault rifle of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, manufactured by Daewoo Precision Industries. It is a shoulder-fired, gas-operated, selective-fire assault rifle that feeds from a 20 or 30 round magazine and is chambered for 5.56 NATO. The K2 replaced the...
rifle
South Korea - SIG SG 540SIG SG 540The SG 540 is a 5.56mm assault rifle developed in the early 1970s by Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft based out of Neuhausen, Switzerland as a private venture primarily destined for export markets and as a potential replacement for the 7.5mm SG 510 automatic rifle known as the Stgw 57 in...
rifle
Switzerland - FN MAGFN MAGThe FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the...
machine gun Belgium - M2 Browning
Anti-Aircraft Weapons
- Blowpipe missileBlowpipe missileThe Shorts Blowpipe is a man-portable surface-to-air missile which was in use with the British Army and Royal Marines from 1975. It was superseded by an interim design, Javelin, and later the greatly improved Starstreak missile.-Description:...
(MANPADS) - 48 launchers - SA-7 Grail MANPADS - 100 Launchers
- Roland SP-SAM - 16 Launchers
Early Modern France \ Germany - Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun
Sweden - ZSU-23-4 (SPAAG) - 30 Shilka\Gundish Soviet Union
- ZU-23-2 (air defence gun) - 20 Soviet Union
Artillery
- L16 81mm MortarL16 81mm MortarThe United Kingdom's L16 81 mm mortar is the standard mortar used by the British armed forces. It originated as a joint design by UK and Canada. The version produced and used by Australia is named the F2 81mm Mortar, whilst the version used by the U.S...
- 200 - M-43 82mm Mortar - 100
- BoforsBoforsThe name Bofors has been associated with the iron industry for more than 350 years.Located in Karlskoga, Sweden, the company originates from the hammer mill "Boofors" founded 1646. The modern corporate structure was created in 1873 with the foundation of Aktiebolaget Bofors-Gullspång...
FH-77 155mm towed howitzer Sweden - 73 - D-30 122mm towed howitzer - 200
- OTO Melara Mod 56OTO Melara Mod 56The OTO-Melara Mod 56 is an Italian-made 105 mm pack howitzer built and developed by OTO-Melara. It fires the standard US type M1 ammunition.-History:...
howitzer Italy - 200 - M-56 105mm towed howitzer
Kingdom of Yugoslavia - 200 - BrandtEdgar BrandtEdgar William Brandt was a French ironworker, prolific weapons designer and head of a company that designed 60mm, 81mm and 120mm mortars that were very widely copied throughout and subsequent to World War II...
120mm Heavy-Mortar Early Modern France - 30 - M-46130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46)The 130 mm towed field gun M-46 M1954 is a manually loaded, towed 130 mm artillery piece, manufactured in the Soviet Union in the 1950s. It was first observed by the west in 1954...
(field gun) - 7
Anti-Tank Weapons
- SwingfireSwingfireSwingfire was a British wire-guided anti-tank missile developed in the 1960s and produced from 1966 until 1993.-Development:Swingfire was developed by Fairey Engineering Ltd and the British Aircraft Corporation. It replaced the Vickers Vigilant missile in British service...
ATGM Launcher - Carl Gustav recoilless rifleCarl Gustav recoilless rifleThe Carl Gustav is the common name for the 84 mm man-portable reusable multi-role recoilless rifle produced by Saab Bofors Dynamics in Sweden...
84mm RCL Sweden - 30 - M40 recoilless rifleM40 recoilless rifleThe M40 recoilless rifle was a lightweight, portable, crew-served 105 mm weapon intended primarily as an anti-tank weapon made in the United States...
106mm RCL
Self propelled Guns
- BM-21BM-21The BM-21 launch vehicle , a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher, and a M-21OF rocket were developed in the early 1960s. BM stands for boyevaya mashina, ‘combat vehicle’, and the nickname means ‘hail’. The complete system with the BM-21 launch vehicle and the M-21OF rocket...
(rocket artillery) Grad 122mm\9K51 - 21 - PalmariaPalmaria (artillery)The Palmaria is an Italian self-propelled 155 mm howitzer.-History:Developed by OTO Melara for the export market, the development of the Palmaria began in 1977, with the first prototype appearing in 1981.-Design:...
155mm SPH Italy - 27
Tanks
- Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (tracked)Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked)The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance —or CVR—is a family of armoured fighting vehicles s in service with the British Army and others throughout the world...
Scorpion tank Alvis FV-101 76mm LT - 150 - Alvis Scimitar 30mm gun ARV - 5
- AMX-30 105mm MBT Early Modern France - 16
- VickersVickers MBTThe Vickers MBT was a series of main battle tanks developed as a private venture by Vickers-Armstrongs for export. The design makes use of proven components such as the L7 gun of the Centurion, and the Leyland L60 multi-fuel engine, transmission and fire control system of the Chieftain...
MK-III 105mm tank - 170 (IISS Military Balance 2007, p. 287) - T-55T-55The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...
(medium tank) 100mm MBT - 100,(IISS 2007) - T-72T-72The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A...
125mm MBT-77
Armored Personal Vehicles
- BTR-60BTR-60The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers. It was developed in the late 1950s as a replacement for the BTR-152 and was seen first time in public in 1961...
8x8 (APCArmoured personnel carrierAn armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
) - 6 - Véhicule Blindé Léger VBL Early Modern France - IISS Military Balance 2007 estimates Nigeria has '72 VBL (reported).'(p. 287)
- Otokar CobraOtokar CobraThe Cobra is a wheeled armoured vehicle developed by Turkish firm Otokar, using some components from the American HMMWV. It was first delivered to the Turkish Army in 1997 and most recently, won a contract from a buyer for APV and 4X4 unarmored tactical vehicles.-Survivability:The monocoque steel...
light armoured vehicle 4x4
Turkey - 193 - Alvis FV-601 SaladinSaladinṢalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
76mm 6x6 ARV - 16 - PanhardPanhardPanhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...
ERC-90 Sagie 90mm 6x6 ARV Early Modern France - 46 - PanhardPanhardPanhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...
AML-90 90mm 4x4 ARV Early Modern France - 120 - PanhardPanhardPanhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...
AML-60 60mm 4x4 ARV Early Modern France - 60 - FoxFoxFox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
30mm 4x4 ARV - 55 - EngesaEngesaEngesa – Engenheiros Especializados S/A was a Brazilian company in the agriculture and defense sectors that specialized in producing tactical military trucks, armored fighting vehicles, and civilian Sport utility vehicles....
EE-9 Cascavel 90mm 6x6 ARV
Brazil - 75 - Engesa EngesaEngesa – Engenheiros Especializados S/A was a Brazilian company in the agriculture and defense sectors that specialized in producing tactical military trucks, armored fighting vehicles, and civilian Sport utility vehicles....
EE-11 UrutuEE-11 UrutuThe EE-11 Urutu is a 6x6 armored personnel carrier developed in the seventies by Engesa of Brazil. It used as many commercially available parts as possible. It also shares many components with the EE-9 Cascavel Armoured fighting vehicle. The suspension includes Engesa's Boomerang double-axle rear...
6x6 APC Brazil - AlvisAlvis plcAlvis Ltd. was created when United Scientific Holdings plc acquired the Alvis division of the nationalised vehicle manufacturer British Leyland in 1981. United Scientific maintained its own name until 1992 when the group was renamed Alvis plc. Alvis acquired Swedish armoured vehicle manufacturer...
FV-603 SaracenSaracenSaracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
6x6 APC - 10 - Steyr SteyrSteyr is a town, located in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria. The town is situated at the confluence of the rivers Steyr and Enns. Steyr is Austria's 12th most populated town and simultaneously the 3rd largest town in Upper Austria....
4K7FA-G127 APC
Austria - 250 - MT-LBMT-LBThe MT-LB is a Soviet multi-purpose fully amphibious auxiliary armoured vehicle which was first introduced in the late 1960s...
APC - 67 - MowagMOWAGMOWAG is a Swiss company which develops, designs and produces armoured vehicles for military applications in both land-only and amphibious configurations. These vehicles have gross vehicle weights ranging from 9t to 30t. More than 12,000 armoured wheeled vehicles of the type Piranha, Eagle and DURO...
LAV Piranaha 6x6 APC - 70 - BTR-3U 8x8 APC
Ukraine - 47 - GazGAZGAZ or Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod , translated as Gorky Automobile Plant , started in 1932 as NAZ, a cooperation between Ford and the Soviet Union. It is one of the largest companies in the Russian automotive industry....
BTR-80UM 8x8 APC
Russia - 47 - GilaGila- Animals :*Gila, a genus of cyprinid fish known as western chubs*Gila monster, a venomous lizard*Gila trout, a trout native to the Southwestern United States*Gila Woodpecker, a species of woodpecker found in the Southwestern United States- Geography :...
4x4 APC
South Africa - 12 - PanhardPanhardPanhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...
M-3Panhard M3The Panhard M3 VTT , armoured personnel carrier was designed as a private venture with the first prototype completed in 1969. The prototype had a single door in each side of the hull and twin doors in the hull rear...
4x4 APC Early Modern France - 18 - Saxon 4x4 APC - 75
Other Vehicles
- Vickers ARV Recovery Tank - 15
- Vickers AVLB Briddging Tank - 18
- Steyr 4KH7FA-SB-20 Greif Recovery Tank Austria - 15
- Steyr 19-S-25 4x4 Recovery truck Austria
- Steyr 32-S-29 6x6 Recovery truck Austria
- SDP-700 4x4 Truck
- Land RoverLand RoverLand Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
4x4 - PinzgauerPinzgauer High Mobility All-Terrain VehicleThe Pinzgauer is a family of high-mobility all-terrain 4WD and 6WD military utility vehicles. They were manufactured in Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom, by BAE Systems Land & Armaments. The vehicle was originally developed in the late 1960s by Steyr-Daimler-Puch of Graz, Austria, and was named...
4x4 Germany - Steyr M-14 4x4 Austria