Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has been named as the headquarters of the newest division of the Nigeria Army targeted at securing the key oil states of Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Akwa Ibom.
The new division, called 6 Amphibious Division, is created to compliment the efforts of the Navy in securing the creeks and rivers of the oil region.
Before now, Port Harcourt had had an Amphibious Brigade (Bori Camp), now a division.
Hints of the creation of two more divisions of the Army (6 and 8 divisions) emerged on January 13, 2016, but it was confirmed in November 2016 by the Chief of Army Staff Tukur Burutai. Even then, no mention was made of the city or state to host the headquarters for the Niger Delta.
Now, the picture seems clearer as a General Officer Commanding (GOC) has been appointed, in the person of Major-General Kasimu Abdulkareem.
The new GOC has already arrived Port Harcourt to set up the structures and has paid a visit to the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike. Wike had been bitter with security agencies since the rerun elections of December 10, 2016, with bitter complaints that they got huge support from his administration only to turn round to support his political rivals.
Now, however, the governor has offered support to the new army division and even pointed to them where to strike hardest.
The new GOC, while briefing the governor, informed that the new division was created out of the 82 Division in Enugu on November 7, 2016 in order to promote regional security.
He confirmed that the division is to be in Port Harcourt and would focus on Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Bayelsa States to fight pipeline vandalism, cultism and militancy. He called on the Rivers State government to support the division.
Reacting, Gov Wike said the state government would support the Division in strengthening the security architecture of the state and its environs.
He also advised the officers and soldiers of the Division against the politicisation of crime, noting that security was vital to the actualisation of all developmental programmes.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the GOC on Thursday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said enhanced security leads to the development of other sectors.
“Let me assure you that as a government, we will continue to support the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army with the needed logistics to carry out her duties,” he said.
He commended the new GOC for the quick successes in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area where cultists had been routed.
The governor urged the military to step up its operations in the LGA to dislodge the remnants of cultists who refused to accept the State Amnesty Programme by laying down their arms.
He lauded the Federal Government for establishing the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army to help fight crime in the state, pledging that his administration would continue to work for the unity of the country
No comments:
Post a Comment