The General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army/Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, South South, Operation DELTA STATE, Major General Jamal Abdussalam has assured that troops conducting operations, over the gruesome murder of officers and soldiers at Okuama Community in Ughelli South LGA would be firm, strong, decisive and professional in the cause of the operations in the general area.
He made this known when the Managing Director (MD)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief (Dr) Samuel Ogbuku paid him a condolence visit at the Division’s Headquarters in Port Harcourt Barracks on Thursday, 21 March 2024.
Major General Abdussalam, while appreciating the MD and his team for the visit, said the mission handed to troops by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja is basically to recover the weapons carted away by the perpetrators of this heinous crime and ensure that all those involved are arrested, added that troops will continue to be in the creeks until these objectives are achieved.
In a statement signed by the Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel DANJUMA JONAH DANJUMA said the GOC reiterated that no amount of propaganda, arm-twisting, blackmailing, intimidation, and false narratives would distract troops from staying on course to achieve their objectives.
The statement however, assured that the GOC said the operations would be conducted in the most professional manner in line with the global best practice of adherence to rules of engagement and respect for the fundamental human rights of the citizenry abd called on people of the Niger Delta Region(NDR) to go about their normal activities.
Lieutenant Danjuma statement noted that the GOC appealed to people and communities to assist troops regarding the location of the fleeing criminals and the carted away weapons, saying that the Armed Forces of Nigeria, averred the symbol of its sovereignty, stressing that the Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu captured it succinctly when he said an attack on the Armed Forces is an attack on the nation.
The statement further noted that the GOC said if criminals are allowed to continue to attack the security forces , there will be anarchy, adding that troops will not rest until all those involved are tracked down to account for their deeds.
“He reassured that the operation is being conducted in such a way that, going forward, nobody would contemplate attacking men in uniform. He also said false narratives being churned out, and propaganda peddled over this mindless criminality would not deter troops from fishing out the criminals.
“The GOC appreciated the MD and his team for identifying with the NA at this moment of grief. He added that there would not be development without peace and security. Thus, the two institutions would continue to work together for the common good of society. He called on well-meaning members of the society to avail the NA credible intelligence on where to get the criminals and ensure they answer for their crimes.
Earlier, the MD NDDC, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, while commiserating with the GOC, said that without peace in the NDR, there would not be development and averred that the NDR has been peaceful for some time, owing to the sacrifices of officers and men of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The statement stated that the NDDC MD informed the reason he led his management team on a condolence visit to the Division, adding that they stand in solidarity with the NA over this gruesome murder of officers and soldiers.
Chief Ogbuku said” this unfortunate incident didn’t define the people of the NDR, adding that for years now, the people of the region have embraced peace and dialogue. He further said that no one in the region is in support of this mindless act of criminality. The NDR he said has been relatively calm and remains the bedrock of the national economy.
“He called on all critical stakeholders to calm and support the NA to fish out the perpetrators of this act. This, he said, is the only way justice would be served, particularly to those who paid the supreme price. He assured that they would continue to pray and support the families they left behind. He expressed optimism that the NA will conduct its operations in the most professional manner by ensuring that innocent people don’t take the brunt of the crime committed by criminals”, he said
NOBLE REPORT 