Home Blog Hundreds benefit from army’s free medical exercise in Delta

Hundreds benefit from army’s free medical exercise in Delta

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In spite of last week’s pandemonium in various parts of Delta State over an alleged vaccination of pupils with monkey pox virus, the Nigerian Army’s free medical care as part of the ongoing Operation Crocodile Smiles 2 recorded a huge turn-out of residents from various communities.

Hundreds of people in communities comprising the aged, women and children thronged the Ogbogbagbene, an Ijaw community in Burutu Local Government Area and Ugbokodo, an Itsekiri community both in the state to benefit from the exercise.

The medical exercise, which commenced on Tuesday simultaneously in the state, defied the sponsored calumny by some faceless local civil organisations that caused great panic among the people targeted at boycotting the exercise.

But Brigade Commander, 4 Brigade, Benin, Brigadier-General Ibrahim Garba, had explained to beneficiaries at Ogbogbagbene, that the Operation Crocodile Smile 2 exercise was designed to firm up its already existing security design for the communities.

He said at the kick-off of the medical

outreach put together by the 222 Battalion in Ogbogbagbene that the exercise was part of the army’s role in fulfilling government’s primary duty of protecting lives and property in the country.

Brigadier General Garba said the medical outreach was meant to endear the civilian populace to the army and its good intentions.

“Everything we do is done for the betterment of the communities; we are here to provide security for the community, protect lives and property and the exercise is just to rejuvenate the existing security architecture that we already have on the ground, to make it more effective for this period.

“There are other security challenges that are militating against the development  goals of either the local government, the state or the country at large.

‘So, by providing security cover, protecting lives and property, we will be able to play our own beat in ensuring that the development goals of government are achieved. That’s basically why we are here.

“This medical outreach is just one of the programmes designed to bring the community closer to us so that they’ll be able to know our real intentions; we are not here to harm anybody,” he assured.

Some members of the community said their initial apprehension of alleged designed subtle harm from the troops eventually disappeared as the free medical care started.

An overwhelmed teacher in the community’s primary school, Joseph Bebefagha, corroborated the claim, saying he was surprised because people had thought the military had come to unleash violence, but that was not to be as he had even been dewormed and treated of malaria freely by the military medical personnel.

On his part, Major General Chukwunedum Abraham, General Officer Commanding 2 Division Nigerian Army, Ibadan, explained that the extension of Exercise Crocodile Smile 2 to the South-South region, was aimed at ridding the region of criminals who fled from other regions where the exercise was earlier launched.

Speaking during the commencement of the exercise at Sapele Ugberikoko area of Delta State, Abraham stated that the exercise was also aimed, among other things, to widen skills of personnel on water to combat oil thieves and sea pirates.

The increase in crimes, particularly in the coastal areas of the country, he said, necessitated the Nigerian Army to set up the training and operation in the environment.

The Major General stressed that there was no need to panic about the exercise which was part of the army’s social responsibility.

The medical outreach being anchored by 3 Battallion of Nigerian Army, Effurun,  also recorded success at Ugbokodo-Itsekiri community.

Sector 1 Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Brigadier General Alhassan Grema, who led the team, enjoined residents to embrace the free medical programme as well as tip the Army with useful security threats in the area.

He explained that the military exercise was meant to train its personnel on how to deal with contemporary challenges, saying “You have nothing to fear if you are not a criminal. Enjoy our free medical outreach, cooperate. If you have any information that can help us in the exercise, we welcome it. It is in continuation of the first edition of this exercise.”

Commanding Officer, 3 Battalion, Major Ahmed Abdulkadir, while addressing beneficiaries at Ugbokodo-Itsekiri community, appealed to residents to report any area of security threat to the Army and other security agencies.

He assured that the Army was in the community to wipe out criminals through Exercise Crocodile Smile II.

“Operation Crocodile Smile II” is an all encompassing operation which involves both civil/military cooperation activities of the Army that will rid the entire area of criminals and lawlessness.

“This is just one of the series of activities lined up for the ongoing Operation Crocodile Smile. It is a way of bringing the Army closer to the people. Just a way of telling the people that the Army is here for them.

“The people of Ugbokodo-Itsekiri Community are most lucky to be the first beneficiaries of this Ongoing Exercise Crocodile Smile II. Much more civil/military cooperation activities will still be conducted as events unfolds, “ he enthused.

Spokesperson of Egbokodo community, Mr. Joseph Tete, debunked rumours of any military intimidation, saying the presence of the army was to help them.

He commended the Army for the free medical care provided indigenes of the community, requesting more in the future.

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