81st Division (Nigeria)

81 Division
Active	26 May 2002 – present
Country	Nigeria
Type	Mechanized infantry
Role	Amphibious warfare Anti-tank warfare Armoured reconnaissance Artillery observer Close-quarters battle Coastal defence Combined arms Counter-battery fire Fire support Force protection Indirect fire Internal security Maneuver warfare Raiding Reconnaissance
Size	Division
Part of	Nigerian Army
Garrison/HQ	Eti-Osa, Lagos, Nigeria
Commanders
General Officer Commanding	Major General Mohammed Usman

The 81st (Amphibious) Division is a one of two combined infantry division unit of the Nigerian Army (NA), which specialized in amphibious warfare, combined arms, coastal defence, desert and jungle warfare, manuver warfare, providing security at ports or shore stations, and reconnaissance. This unit actives since 2002. It has an area of responsibility covering Lagos and Ogun States of Nigeria.

History

It is numbered in honor of the 81st (West Africa) Division. The Division which replaced the Lagos Garrison Command (LGC) came into being in 2000.^[1] The youngest Division in the Nigerian Army, it was formed on 26 May 2002.^[2]

Structure

The division previously included:^[3]

• 81st Division Garrison (Lagos)^[1]
• 9th Brigade (Ikeja)
• 165th Mechanised Battalion
• 19th Mechanised Battalion
• 242nd Recce Battalion^[3]
• 35 Artillery Brigade (Alamala Barracks^[4])

Commanders

• Major General Enobong Udoh (5 February 2018 – 7 August 2018)
• Major General Musa Sani Yusuf (7 August 2018 – 23 July 2019)
• Major General Johnson Olubunmi Irefin (23 July 2019 – 22 July 2020)
• Major General Godwin Umelo (22 July 2020 – 13 March 2021)
• Major General Lawrence Fejokwu (13 March 2021 – 15 February 2022)
• Major General Umar Thama Musa (15 February 2022 – 29 July 2022)^[5]
• Major General Obinna Ajunwa (29 July 2022 – 27 July 2023)^[6][7]
• Major General Mohammed Takuti Usman (27 July 2023 – present)

References

1. 81 Division
2. "Nigerian Army". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
3. "Nigerian Army Order of Battle". Retrieved 7 September 2021.
4. Ayodeji (2022-07-04). "GOC 81 DIVISION CHARGES TROOPS TO REMAIN APOLITICAL, DISCIPLINE". Nigerian Army | Official Website. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
5. Staff, Orientalnews (2022-02-15). "Major General Umar Musa Takes Over At Army 81 Division". Oriental News Nigeria. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
6. "Nigeria Army: Chief of Army Staff reshuffle top officers as security threat worse". BBC News Pidgin. 2022-07-29. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
7. "Major Shake-up as Army Appoints New GOCs, Reshuffles Senior Officers – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2023-03-12.