Justina Asishana, Minna
THE military is better known for the toughest of battles especially on behalf of the country that pays its bills. But what happened at the weekend in Minna, the Niger State capital, showed the other side of the armed forces.
The 31 Artillery Brigade of the Nigeria Army deployed its personnel to clean up the dirty streets of the state’s capital city.
The sanitation exercise was carried out at Mobil Roundabout and its vicinity in Minna.
It involved all the men and officers of the 31 Artillery Brigade Minna and Youth Corps members.
The Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Gideon Temitope said the sanitation exercise was part of the activities in the exercise Ayem Akpatuma II.
He said that ensuring a clean and hygienic environment is also part of security which involves keeping the people alive and safe.
“We are here to ensure that we have a healthy and hygienic environment which is also part of security. In ensuring security, there must be various lines of actions involved and having a clean and hygienic environment is part of it.”
Temitope further said that the sanitation exercise is part of the bid of the military to strengthen civil and military cooperation in the state.
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The representative of the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Farouk Bahago said the gesture of the Army is appreciated by the Minna Emirate, adding that environmental sanitation is good for the wellbeing of the people.
He said that the gesture will go a long way in strengthening and encouraging army-civilian relationship in the state.
The officers and men of the 31 Artillery Brigade swept parks and roads, cleaned gutters by evacuating disused items and plastics.
All they required for this significant exercise were shovels, rakes and pans, not tanks, assault rifles or bombs.
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