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Tag: Jamil Sarham

  • GOC: Army prevented compromise of election

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division of the Army, Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham, has said the resilience and doggedness of officers and men of the division helped to stop subversive elements who tried to compromise the 2019 elections.

    Some of these men, he lamented, died in defence of Nigeria’s democracy.

    Gen. Sarham, who is also the Land Component Commander of Operation Delta Safe, spoke at the weekend when he received an award of excellence from the ECOWAS Youth Council and Northern Youth Council of Nigeria. The event held at the headquarters of 6 Division in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    He said: “The 2019 elections, which 6 Division acted in aid of the Nigeria Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), offered a unique experience. I am proud to say that activities which culminated in the recognition and subsequent awards are because of the able leadership and guidance of our Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, whose vision is to have a professionally responsive Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles. This, no doubt, has been our guiding principle in 6 Division.”

    The GOC praised the organisers for their diligence and belief in the corporate existence of Nigeria, even as he dedicated the awards to officers and men of the 6 Division in particular, and the Army at large, for their hard work, untiring efforts and professionalism.

    He added: “The Army has the constitutional responsibility to safeguard our territorial integrity and come in aid of civil authority when the need arises. The advent of some security challenges is part of most developing nations. These myriad of security challenges necessitated the review of the Nigerian Army Order of Battle by the Army Council, and subsequent approval of the Nigerian Army Order of Battle 2016, by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “The Nigerian Army Order of Battle 2016 came with the establishment of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, among others. The 6 Division has under its Area of Responsibility (AOR), four States of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers, with its headquarters domiciled in Port Harcourt. Operational and administrative activities of the Division started in November 2016, while the Division was operationalised on July 13, 2017…”

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    “Part of its mandates is to protect national assets, fight oil theft, kidnapping, sea piracy, cultism, robbery and other sundry crimes within its AOR, in conjunction with other relevant stakeholders. The Division has been satisfactorily executing these responsibilities since its inception.”

    The Director of Cabinet of ECOWAS Youth Council, Daniel Nwachukwu, hailed Gen. Sarham for promoting peace, nation-building and professionalism, stressing that if Nigeria gets it right, Africa will also get it right.

    President of the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria Dr. Isa Abubakar noted that Gen. Sarham had been providing effective leadership and positively contributing to Nigeria’s peace and development, and urged others to emulate him.

  • Family, friends demand immediate release of Gov Emmanuel’s aide

    Family members and friends of the Senior Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom Governor on security matters, Captain Iniobong Ekong rtd have asked for his immediate release from the custody of the Nigerian Army.

    Ekong was reportedly invited by the GOC 6 Division, Major General Jamil Sarham to Port -Harcourt, Rivers state following a petition allegedly written by Senator Godswill Akpabio.

    Mr. Iniobong Edem, a serving councillor in Nsit Ubium local government area was also picked up with him, the family alleged.

    The family and friends of the governor’s aide believe Ekong is in the detention of 6 Division, Nigerian Army Port Harcourt as he has not been seen since February 22nd, 2019, the eve of the presidential/national assembly elections.

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    Talking to reporters on Tuesday at Watbridge Hotel Uyo, Abasiekong Ekong, who is the elder brother to Captain Ekong rtd, said his brother has been missing since February 22 this year.

    According to him, the last contact they had with Captain Ekong rtd was when they spoke with him was a phone call to his office by 5pm the day he was invited by the GOC 6 Division Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt.

    The spokesperson of the family said they were yet to receive a formal arrest warrant or legal summons concerning the matter.

    ”This gentleman has a wife and children, aged parents and siblings, friends and associates who are highly distressed about his whereabouts since 22nd February 2019. That is eleven clear days since he has been last seen.

    ”It should be noted that Captain Iniobong Ekong rtd is the senior special assistant to the governor of Akwa Ibom state on security matters and has served the state faithfully in this capacity with intense passion for truth and justice, upholding all his actions and duty within the ambits of the law and principles of equity and love for the progress and development of Akwa Ibom state,” he said.

    The family and friends of the detained SSA has therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Acting Inspector General of Police, the National Human Rights Commission and other relevant authorities to intervene in the matter.

  • Assassination attempt on Wike false, says Army

    The Nigerian Army Saturday night said there was no iota of truth in the allegation leveled against the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Jamil Sarham by Governor Nyelsome Wike of Rivers State that the GOC planned to assassinate him.

    In a statement issued in Abuja by the spokesman of the Army, Colonel Sagir Musa, the Army maintained that governor Wike deployed a smear campaign against the GOC.

    Colonel Musa said: “The Nigerian Army (NA) wishes to respond to the bogus and unsubstantiated allegations being peddled by the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Nyesom Wike. Some of his rancorous claims were that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Maj Gen Jamil Sarham purportedly sent troops to cordon off his residence prior to the rescheduled General Elections on the 15th of February 2019.

    “The Governor further went on to allege an assassination attempt on his life which he claimed was orchestrated by the GOC 6 Division.

    “The NA is appalled that a Governor who should epitomize leadership and good example in all senses could descend so low to employ smear campaign against the person of a GOC whose only responsibility amongst other things, – is about the safety and security of lives and properties in his Area of Responsibility.

    “The NA does not train assassins as such the institution or her personnel cannot be involved in sending assassins to murder a state Governor as alleged by Gov Nyesom Wike.

    “It is indeed no secret to the military authorities that Governor Wike has on various occasions made attempts to compromise the integrity of the GOC 6 Division.

    ‘Having failed, despites series of overtures and monetary pledges of millions of dollars, both in person and from cronies, it is no surprise that the frustrated Governor has resorted to this appalling campaign of calumny. One would have thought that the resolute and uncompromising stance of Maj Gen Jamil Sarham in the face of several kinds of mouth-watering inducements would have earned him a commendation from any conscientious leader.

    “Alas, this was not the case from the embittered governor of Rivers State but rather, these slanderous allegations.

    “Despite these unsubstantiated ramblings however, the NA has deemed it fit to clear the air by letting Governor Wike and the general public at large, know that it would not be dragged into any form of political gerrymandering concocted for the furtherance of any person’s interest or notoriety.

    “As a noble institution, the NA is apolitical, neutral and would not compromise its constitutional roles under any guise. Additionally, the NA would like to give Governor Wike the benefit of doubt, to within 7 days, bring forth evidence that can substantiate the bogus claims, or he could as well, save face and keep his peace.”

  • Army begin inter-formation sports festival in Rivers

    The Nigerian Army, 6 Division, has commenced the annual Nigerian Army Sports Festival (NASFEST) for officers and soldiers under the division.

    Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, inaugurated the three-day exercise on Friday in Igwurata, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers.

    He said that officers and soldiers from formations and units in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers would compete in half marathon and combat road race events.

    He added that “the competition will serve as opportunity to promote mutual cooperation and comradeship among participants.

    “It also adds to the training and re-training of troops, which is crucial to achieving the required regimentation, professional responsiveness and combat efficiency needed to tackle various security challenges.”

    The GOC said that officers and soldiers needed to have sharp minds to enable them to effectively carry out their constitutional duties.

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    According to him, the competition is to bridge the gap between officers and soldiers through requisite level of proficiency and professionalism in their cadre of ranks.

    “The competition could not have come at a better time when there were growing concerns on combat-proficiency and endurance issues as it concerns the formations and units.

    “More so, the various experiences encountered in the conduct of operations in the North-East and Niger Delta, among others, brought to fore some gaps in our training and execution of operations.”

    Sarham urged the participants to take advantage of the competition to enhance their fitness and combat proficiency on the job.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that participants were drawn from Army 2 Brigade, Akwa Ibom; 16 Brigade Bayelsa; 63 Brigade Delta and 6 Division headquarter.