A new General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division of the Nigerian Army as assumed command at the Division’s headquarters in Lagos with a new directive to the troops of the command to stand by democracy.
The new GOC who was identified as Major General Adebayo Babalola, is a seasoned officer with exceptional leadership qualities, and has held various command, staff, instructional and extra-regimental appointment, including Military Observer in Darfur, Defence Attaché in Cotonou, and Directing Staff and later Chief Instructor at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji. He was Commanding Officer 212 Tank Battalion Maiduguri and also Commander 22 Armoured Brigade in Ilorin. His last appointment was Director Defence Liaison at the National Assembly. He has participated in numerous operations, including MNJTF, UNMIL, UNAMID, Operations BOYONA, ZAMAN LAFIA and LAFIYA DOLE.
General Adebayo Babalola while taking over command, charged officers and men of the division not to compromise standards as anybody who does will have him to contend with
The GOC who assumed office on Tuesday pledged to sustain high professional standards and build on the achievements of his predecessor of his predecessor.
Speaking at a brief handover ceremony, Gen. Babalola said: “For those that have worked with me, you should know that I don’t compromise standards. once we don’t compromise standards and we are professional, you will not have any problem with me. A popular saying by one of our former Chief of Army Staff is that we are all from here, we are all Nigerians and Nigerians expect so much from the military.
“And all of us, if we key in to the command philosophy of the Chief of Army Staff, we are going to achieve great success and the mantra ends with what? That mission success.”
He said that there is no excuse for the military to fail Nigerians, adding that, “we are the backbone of Nigeria and all Nigerians expect so much from us. So every day we must continue to redouble our effort to make Nigeria safe and to enable democratic process and economic development of this country to thrive.”
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Earlier the new GOC expressed gratitude to God and paid glowing tribute to his predecessor, Major General Farouk Mijinyawa, whom he described as a highly respected, disciplined and professional officer.
He recalled that both officers had shared a long professional history dating back to 1992 when they were cadets at the Nigerian Defence Academy, noting that he had worked under Gen. Mijinyawa at the Army Headquarters and benefited immensely from his leadership.
“It is a big shoe I am entering, but I will continue to consult with you from time to time,” Gen. Babalola said, assuring that the foundation laid by his predecessor had placed him on a “very sound footing” to succeed.
Gen. Babalola reaffirmed the military’s commitment to national security, democratic governance and economic development, stressing that officers must continually redouble their efforts to make Nigeria safe.
Speaking earlier, the outgoing General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Nigerian Army’s 81 Division on Major General Farouk Mijinyawa said the division recorded significant operational, training and administrative successes during his 18-month tenure, attributing the achievements to professionalism, discipline and inter-agency cooperation.
He described himself as fortunate to have worked with “some of the finest officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army,” stressing that their collective efforts enabled the division to efficiently carry out its mandate under the division’s motto of “Strength and Resilience.”
According to him, the operational readiness of the division remained at an optimal level throughout the period, contributing significantly to the successes recorded in both internal security operations and joint assignments.
“In the area of training, the division successfully conducted all training activities outlined in the Nigerian Army focus of events,” he said, adding that the formation also hosted four major Army-level training exercises in 2025, including the Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference.
He noted that hosting the conference was a strong vote of confidence in the division by Army Headquarters.
