83 Army Division: Okpebholo Sets Two-Week Deadline For Take-off

By Reporter

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has assured that the temporary facility provided by the state government for the operationalisation of the newly established 83 Division of the Nigerian Army in Benin City will be ready within the next two weeks.

Okpebholo gave the assurance on Monday while inspecting ongoing rehabilitation and development work at the facility in Temboga, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state.

The governor said work had commenced at the site, including environmental sanitation, rehabilitation of existing structures and other preparations required to make the facility operational.

He said contractors handling the rehabilitation had assured him that additional bulldozers would be deployed to accelerate the work and ensure timely completion.

“The new division is coming to Edo State, so work is already in progress. Cleaning of the environment is already ongoing, while the existing structures are being worked on.

“The barracks and everything will be ready in the next two weeks. We are sure of progress, and a lot of work will be done here,” Okpebholo said.

He added that the rehabilitation of existing buildings would continue simultaneously with other construction activities.

Okpebholo said the state was fully prepared to host the division, noting that alternative temporary office spaces were also available for immediate use, if required.

The governor’s assurance comes against the backdrop of a recent request by Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to President Bola Tinubu for the relocation of the newly established 83 Division from Edo State to Delta State.

The Delta governor’s request has introduced a fresh dimension to the location of the Army formation, coming at a time when Edo State is already undertaking rehabilitation work on the temporary facility designated for the division.

Despite the request from Delta State, the Edo State Government has continued preparations at the Teboga facility, with Okpebholo insisting that the barracks and other facilities will be ready within two weeks.

The establishment of the 83 Division in Benin followed President Tinubu’s approval for the creation of four new divisions of the Nigerian Army across the country.

The other formations are the 5 Division in Makurdi, the 9 Division in Ilorin and the 10 Division in Jalingo.

Speaking to journalists after the inspection, the Commander of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Balogun, said the visit was part of efforts to implement President Tinubu’s directive on the immediate operationalisation of the 83 Division.

Balogun said the directive, conveyed through the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, had prompted continued efforts to make the temporary facility operational.

He disclosed that a team from Army Headquarters had inspected the facility about four or five days earlier as part of the process.

The Army commander commended Okpebholo for making the temporary facility available for the immediate operationalisation of the division.

“Between the last time we came here, about four or five days ago, and now, we have seen tremendous work ongoing in that regard.

“I want to thank the governor, and we believe that within the shortest possible time, this place will be ready for the immediate operationalisation of the division as pronounced,” he said.

The ongoing rehabilitation is expected to pave the way for the 83 Division to commence operations in Edo, strengthening the Nigerian Army’s presence and security response capacity in the state and the wider South-South region.