82nd Division (Nigeria) explained

Unit Name:	82 Division
Dates:	1975–present
Country:	Nigeria
Type:	Airborne forces Mechanized infantry Motorized infantry
Role:	Air assault Amphibious warfare Anti-tank warfare Armoured reconnaissance Artillery observer Bomb disposal Close-quarters battle Coastal defence Combined arms Counter-battery fire Fire support Force protection Indirect fire Internal security Maneuver warfare Mountain warfare Parachuting Raiding Reconnaissance Tracking Urban warfare
Size:	Division
Garrison:	Enugu, Enugu State
Commander1 Label:	General Officer Commanding

The 82nd (Airborne and Amphibious) Division is the only combined infantry between airborne forces, mechanized infantry, and motorized infantry division unit of the Nigerian Army (NA), which specialized in air assault and airborne operations, amphibious warfare, combined arms, coastal defence, CQB/CQC in urban areas, desert and jungle warfare, manuver warfare, mountain warfare, providing security at ports or shore stations, raiding with smal unit tactics, and reconnaissance. It has an area of responsibility covering Southern Nigeria, near the borders with Cameroon.^[1] It is numbered in honor of the 82nd (West Africa) Division during the Burma campaign.

History

It was established in 1975.^[2] General Mamman Jiya Vatsa established the doctrinal basis for the establishment of the 82nd Division, including its naming after the 82nd West African Division.^[3]

In 1982, Col. Musa Bityong aided the establishment of the first Airborne of a "can do, special forces" officer - "a soldier's soldier" squad in the division.^[4]

Structure

The division included:^[5] ^[6]

Headquarters (Enugu^[7] ^[8])
7 Amphibious Battalion
93 Amphibious Battalion (Takum)^[9]
146 Amphibious Battalion
245 Reconnaissance Battalion^[10]
2 Amphibious Brigade (Port Harcourt)
- 1 Amphibious Battalion
- 20 Amphibious Battalion
- 40 Motorized Battalion
13 Motorized Brigade (Calabar)
- 4 Motorized Battalion
- 103 Amphibious Battalion (Garikki)
34 Field Artillery Brigade (Obinze)^[11]
- 341 Field Artillery Regiment
- 342 Field Artillery Regiment
- 343 Field Artillery Regiment

Commanders

Zamani Lekwot (?)
Oladipo Diya (1985-1991)
Major General Felix Mujakperuo (1996-1998)^[12] ^[13]
Major General Ibrahim Attahiru
Major General UT Musa
Major General AB Abubakar
Major General LA Adegboye
Major General TA Lagbaja
Major General HT Dada

References

Book: DeRouen . Karl R. . Defense and Security: A Compendium of National Armed Forces and Security Policies . Heo . Uk . 2005 . ABC-CLIO . 978-1-85109-781-4 . en.
Web site: Nigerian Army 82 Division . 2023-03-14 . Nigerian Army Official Website . en-US.
Web site: Omoigui . Nowa . The Vatsa Conspiracy (Part 2) - Some Biosketches . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150125142602/http://www.gamji.com/nowa/nowa8.htm . 25 January 2015 . 11 August 2015 . Gamji.
Web site: The Vatsa Conspiracy (Part 2)-Some Biosketches . Omoiɡui . Nowa . https://web.archive.org/web/20150125142602/http://www.gamji.com/nowa/nowa8.htm . June 29, 2020. 2015-01-25 .
Web site: Nigerian Army Order of Battle . 7 September 2021.
Web site: Nigeria - 82 Composite Division . 2023-03-15 . www.globalsecurity.org.
Web site: Nigerian Army- Official Website . Army.mil.ng.
Book: Inamete, Ufot Bassey . Foreign Policy Decision-making in Nigeria . 2001 . Susquehanna University Press . 978-1-57591-048-2 . en.
Web site: Admin . 2016-03-27 . PRESS STATEMENT BY LT COL CO EGEMOLE ON CRISIS IN IBI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA ON FRIDAY 25TH MARCH 2016 . 2023-03-14 . Nigerian Army Official Website . en-US.
Web site: Preventing Coups in Nigeria . 2020-10-03 . www.gamji.com.
Web site: 34 Artillery Brigade Imo gets new Commander, Sulaiman .
Web site: Adeolu . 2017-03-23 . MUJAKPERUO, HRM (Maj-Gen.) Felix Agho (rtd.) . 2023-03-14 . Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation . en-US.
Web site: MAJ- GEN FELIX MUJAKPERUO (RTD) APPOINTED AS CHANCELLOR OF NIGERIAN ARMY UNIVERSITY BIU – Nigerian Army University Biu . 2023-03-14 . en-US.