- Source: 82nd Division (Nigeria)
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. It is numbered in honor of the 82nd (West Africa) Division during the Burma campaign.
History
It was established in 1975. General Mamman Jiya Vatsa established the doctrinal basis for the establishment of the 82nd Division, including its naming after the 82nd West African Division.
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.
Structure
The division included:
Headquarters (Enugu)
7 Amphibious Battalion
93 Amphibious Battalion (Takum)
146 Amphibious Battalion
245 Reconnaissance Battalion
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)
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)
Major General Ibrahim Attahiru
Major General UT Musa
Major General AB Abubakar
Major General LA Adegboye
Major General TA Lagbaja
Major General HT Dada