President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment and training of 28,000 new soldiers within one year to bolster Nigeria’s security framework.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, disclosed this during a visit to Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia at Government House in Makurdi on Tuesday, March 4, 2026.
Lieutenant General Shaibu described the visit as both official and personal, noting it as a return to the state that shaped his early education.
He stated that the trip included operational assessments at the headquarters of Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), the 401 Special Brigade, and other formations to evaluate readiness and address challenges confronting troops.
The COAS revealed that an additional battalion has been deployed to Kwande Local Government Area to reinforce ongoing security operations.
He added that beyond kinetic efforts, the Army is implementing non-kinetic approaches by engaging traditional leaders, including the Tor Tiv, to enhance community cooperation and intelligence sharing
Lieutenant General Shaibu commended Governor Alia for providing operational support to soldiers, including drones, motorcycles, and vehicles, as well as educational assistance for widows of fallen soldiers.
He noted that the Army is expanding its aviation capabilities to improve response times, including plans to deploy helicopters for Operation Whirl Stroke, and assured Benue State of the military’s ongoing commitment to restoring lasting peace.
Governor Hyacinth Alia commended the Nigerian Army and the Federal Government for sustained support in enhancing security across the state.
He described the COAS’s visit as a homecoming, acknowledging that Shaibu was returning to a state that influenced his early upbringing.
The governor appreciated the Army and President Tinubu’s administration for their dedication to national security, particularly in Benue, stating that close collaboration between his government and the military has significantly reduced insecurity.
Alia pointed out that when his administration took office on May 29, 2023, about 17 of the state’s 23 local government areas faced heavy insecurity, but sustained efforts have reduced high-risk areas to three, with relative calm now prevailing even in those locations.
He highlighted recent engagements with Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas to strengthen cross-border collaboration in tackling insecurity along shared boundaries.
The governor recalled that following a previous security crisis in the state, the Federal Government responded promptly to his appeal by deploying three battalions within 24 hours.
