By Barth Gold
EFFURUN/Nigeria: As part of effort to appreciate the good gesture of protecting lives and properties of the people coupled with the recent free medical out reach conducted by men of the 19 Battalion of the Nigeria Army KOKO during the operation Crocodile Smile II, Ijaw Communities in the riverine area has paid a “thank you Visit to the Commanding Officer of the 19 Battalion Lt. Col. Ma’aji Mohammed in KOKO, Headquarters of Warri North Local government area of Delta state.
The communities, represented by the Traditional Council of Chiefs from Egbama Kingdom, expressed gratitude to the Nigeria army for the role they played in ensuing that peace is restored to Egbema Kingdom especially Ajakurama the heritage headquarters of Ijaw nations
Speaking on behalf of the Communities, Chief Adele Jombai said that the various communities in Egbema Kingdom are very happy with the Nigeria army, for all that the security agency having being doing to ensure peace and security in the creeks of the Delta.
His words” our King has sent us to say a big thank you to the Nigerian Army for securing our lives and properties during the recent Operation Crocodile Smile II. He said the operation has put an end to the activities of some unscrupulous elements terrorising riverine communities.
On his part, Chief Semion Igbedikeme, Personal Assistant to the Preye of Egbema, asserted that his joy knows no bounds for the wonderful job done by the Army in Egbema Kingdom by the 19 Battalion during Operation Crocodile Smile. He noted that the soldiers did a professional job as no life was lost, no property destroyed during the operations.
His words” the Egbema kingdom has unanimously agreed to work with the army to sustain the relative peace that have been brought to us, we also want to say that during the exercise, no live was lost, no property destroyed as being speculated, we urged all the people to disregard such rumour and also advised our children to turn a new live as the army will not rest until they fetch out the bad heads from and within Egbama Kingdom “.
Responding, the Commanding Officer, 19. Battalion KOKO, Lt. Col. Maaji Mohammed, thanked the Ijaw community Chiefs for the visit.
He thanked the Egbema Kingdom for the assistant given to the army to carry out their constitutional duties in the area.
He noted that, the Nigeria Army is a professional force and urged the leaders to preach and advise their children and the youths against illegal activities such as, kidnapping, Oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism, cultism and other social vices that is capable of bridging the peace in the riverine communities.
The CO reiterated that the army has successfully completed the operation crocodile smile II noting that no life was lost and call for more corporation from the Communities to sustain the peace in the area.
Present at the meeting were Traditional Council of Chiefs from various communities in Egbema Kingdom.
