Ben Dunno, Warri
The General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham, has urged the warring youths in the age-long Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh crisis in Delta State, to eschew violence and embrace dialogue as means of conflict resolution.
Admonishing the youths during a visit to the palace of the Ovie of Udu Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Bethel Otete Delekpe – Oworhu 1, at the weekend, the GOC noted that there could never be an alternative to peace in the quest for a genuine and sustainable development of an area.
The Army boss, who was in company of some high ranking staff officers as well as Sectors and Battalion Commanders that cut across Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states under the Division, relished the good memories he had with the people of Aladja and Ogbe Ijoh while serving as the Commanding Officer in the state.
READ ALSO: Group holds AGM, hands over 2019 elections to God
According to him, “I am here today for two reasons: First, as a son of the soil who had come to pay homage and thank the people of Aladja for the cooperation and support expended to me throughout the period that I served here as Commanding Officer.
“Secondly to announce to the royal father and the people of Aladja that, in line with the directive of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, we have commenced the Operation Crocodile Smiles III, where our presence will be felt more in this area and other neighbouring communities.
“It is worthy of note that we are using this exercise to demonstrate our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) when we give back to the society in order to improve on the well being of the people and also to identify criminal elements in some communities and seek ways to flush them out, so as to ensure that law abiding citizens are well protected”.
He also solicited the support of the people with men and officers that would carry out this exercise in their areas and assured the people of the friendly disposition of his men throughout the period of the exercise,
Specifically, the Army boss noted that the areas they would focus on in this year’s exercise included, distribution of books and educational materials to some selected schools, free medical aides and relief materials to displaced people in some IDP camps.
In his response, the traditional ruler of Udu Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Bethel Otete Delekpe-Oworhu 1, thanked the GOC and his entourage for the visit and assured of the unrelenting support of his people to the realisation of an enduring peace that would create an enabling environment for the sustainable development of the community.
At Ogbe-Ijoh community, the Army team delivered large quantity of relief materials including bags of rice, gallons of groundnut oil, packs of indomie and packets of bottled water to the IDPs camp at Ogbe Ijoh Primary School and assured of subsequent visits in the course of the exercise.