President Bola Tinubu has approved Nigeria’s largest military expansion in recent years, authorizing the recruitment of 28,000 additional soldiers and the creation of four new army divisions to strengthen the country’s response to persistent security threats. The expansion will increase the number of army divisions to 12 and establish new headquarters in regions affected by Islamist insurgency, banditry, and communal violence. The move follows a series of deadly attacks and kidnappings despite recent military gains against armed groups. Tinubu has also pledged to recruit more than 50,000 police officers and allocated a record $4 billion for defense and security in the national budget. While officials expect the reforms to improve intelligence sharing and response times, analysts warn that attracting enough recruits could prove difficult given the risks soldiers continue to face.
BBC