Major General Bemgba Paul Koughna has formally assumed duty as the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 8 Division Nigerian Army, and Commander Sector 2 Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
The handover ceremony took place at the Headquarters 8 Division, Giginya Cantonment, Sokoto, marking the official transition of command from Major General Ibikunle Ademola Ajose. The event was confirmed in a press statement signed by Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Division Nigerian Army/Sector 2 Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
Major General Koughna succeeds Major General Ajose, whose tenure recorded notable achievements in regional security, particularly in counter-banditry and stabilization operations across the North West.
In his inaugural address, Major General Koughna expressed profound appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, for the confidence reposed in him. He pledged to consolidate existing operational gains while strengthening efforts aimed at enhancing security, stability and civil-military cooperation within the Division’s area of responsibility.
Earlier, the outgoing GOC, Major General Ajose, congratulated his successor and commended his vast operational experience and leadership acumen. He expressed confidence that Major General Koughna’s deep understanding of the region’s security dynamics would further improve the Division’s effectiveness against terrorism and banditry.
Born on 20 November 1972, Major General Koughna is a distinguished officer of the Nigerian Army and a member of the 43rd Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy, where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1996. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics (Honours) from the NDA, a Master’s degree in National Security and War Studies from the National Defence University, Islamabad, Pakistan, and a Certificat d’Études Françaises (1er Degré) from France.
His illustrious career spans key command, staff and instructional appointments, including Assistant Deputy Military Secretary at Army Headquarters, Senior Instructor at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Commanding Officer 26 Battalion Sokoto, Defence Adviser at the Nigerian High Commission in Islamabad, Chief of Staff 6 Division, Commander 27 Task Force Brigade, Director of Civil-Military Affairs at Army Headquarters, and Deputy Chief of Operations at Army Headquarters before his current appointment as the 11th GOC 8 Division.
Major General Koughna has also distinguished himself in international peacekeeping and conflict resolution missions, including deployments with the ECOWAS Monitoring Group in Sierra Leone, Operation Harmony IV in the Bakassi Peninsula, and the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Domestically, he played leading roles in major operations such as Operation Restore Peace in Bakura Forest and Operation HADIN KAI in Buni Gari, where his leadership contributed significantly to counter-insurgency successes against terrorist groups. His outstanding performance earned him the Nigerian Army Outstanding Tactical Command Medal.
Beyond the battlefield, Major General Koughna is an accomplished author, with publications including Rivulets of Wisdom (2005) and Battle Leadership (2024), reflecting his depth of thought on leadership, strategy and professional development.
Married with three children, he combines his demanding military career with personal interests in reading and squash. As he assumes command, Major General Koughna brings a wealth of experience, strategic vision and unwavering resolve, reinforcing confidence in the Nigerian Army’s ongoing efforts to secure peace and stability in the North West region.
