Governor cites strategic location, oil and gas assets, airports, seaports
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian Army to site the headquarters of the newly created 83 Division of the Nigerian Army in Delta State.
Oborevwori made the appeal when he received a delegation from the Nigerian Army Headquarters on a stakeholders’ consultative visit to the state over the proposed realignment of Areas of Responsibility following the creation of the new division.
The delegation was led by the Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation, Major-General Thompson Bobby Ugiagbe.
The governor argued that Delta was strategically positioned to host the division headquarters because of its central location within the proposed area of responsibility covering Delta, Edo and Bayelsa states.
He also highlighted the state’s concentration of critical national assets, including oil and gas infrastructure, airports and seaports, stressing that locating the headquarters in Delta would improve security coordination and reduce response time across the South-South region.
“Delta State is more central. Somebody coming from Edo will come through Delta, while somebody coming from Bayelsa to Edo will also pass through Delta. If the headquarters is located here, everybody can connect to the centre,” the governor said.
According to him, Delta’s significant contribution to Nigeria’s oil and gas production makes the protection of its strategic assets particularly important.
He listed three airports located in Asaba, Osubi and Escravos, as well as seaports in Warri, Burutu, Sapele and Koko, noting that the facilities require adequate security protection.
Oborevwori therefore urged the visiting Army delegation to recommend Delta as the preferred location for the 83 Division headquarters to the Chief of Army Staff and President Tinubu.
He assured the Army of the state government’s readiness to support the establishment and take-off of the formation by providing land, temporary facilities and financial assistance where necessary.
“This is not a passive appeal for the constitution of the division. It is a request for partnership from a state that understands what is at stake,” he said.
The governor recalled that his administration had previously provided land and infrastructure support for military formations established in the state, assuring that the government would continue to partner with the Nigerian Army to strengthen security.
He also pointed to Delta’s pool of retired senior military officers, including several retired four-star generals, saying the establishment of the division headquarters in the state would further recognise their contributions to national service.
Earlier, Major-General Ugiagbe conveyed the goodwill of the Chief of Army Staff to the governor and people of Delta State and commended the state government for its continued support to the Nigerian Army.
He explained that the creation of the 83 Division followed President Tinubu’s approval for the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions.
Ugiagbe said the new division would have operational responsibility for Delta, Edo and Bayelsa states, adding that the restructuring was designed to strengthen security coverage, eliminate deployment gaps and improve response to security threats.
He disclosed that Delta would retain the 63 Brigade headquarters in Asaba, three battalions in Warri, the 90 Amphibious Battalion and the 181 Battalion.
The state would also receive three additional formations comprising the 246 Recce Battalion, already established in Oleh; a new Field Artillery Regiment; and an Air Defence Regiment.
According to him, the additional formations were necessitated by Delta’s strategic importance and the need to expand the Army’s security footprint in the state.
He said the proposed Field Artillery Regiment would be located close to the brigade headquarters, while the Air Defence Regiment was being proposed for Osubi because of its strategic importance and proximity to critical infrastructure.
“The Air Defence Regiment provides a large coverage for critical assets like airports, refineries and other critical national infrastructure,” Ugiagbe explained.
The Army delegation also appealed to the state government to provide temporary facilities and land to enable the new formations to commence operations pending the development of permanent infrastructure.
Ugiagbe said the Nigerian Army would subsequently work with relevant state agencies, including mapping and geographical information authorities, to identify, survey and properly document the land required for the new formations.
He stressed that the new deployment strategy was aimed at achieving wider geographical coverage, strengthening security presence and reducing response time to threats within the division’s area of responsibility.