Residents in Bayelsa State woke up to an unusual sight recently. They saw soldiers fighting their common enemies vigorously. But this time not with guns, bullets, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC), bombs and their usual arms and ammunition.
The soldiers including officers battled with hoes, cutlasses, rakes and other domestic implements. Their choice of weapons was determined by the nature of their enemy. Dirts were the common enemy and the soldiers were united against heaps of refuse and improperly disposed used items.
Troops temporarily abandoned their weapons of mass destruction and took up brooms to sweep public places. They raked dirts and mopped places in Yenagoa, the state capital. It was part of their social responsibility factored into the ongoing military operation in the Niger Delta region, Operation Crocodile Smile II.
Much fuss about military operations in the country. In Niger Delta, most people, including the Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, believe the military exercise is a welcome development. Prior to the operation, the creeks and waterways were replete with dangers.
Criminal elements were on the prowl killing and maiming innocent travelers. Piracy, sea robberies and other maritime crimes were on the increase. After their onslaughts, the hardened criminals hide in their camps, share their loots and return for fresh operations. So, it is hoped that the military exercise will restore maritime peace in the region.
Therefore, the environmental sanitation conducted by the military was a clear message that the military operation was not all about arms and ammunition. Soldiers led by the Commander 16th Brigade in Bayelsa, Brig.-Gen. Kelvin Aligbe, rolled up their sleeves to give residents clean environment.
It was a sight to behold by passersby. Most of them for the first time saw soldiers undertaking such civil activities. After hours of cleaning Aligbe led his civil troops to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, where they donated medical items to the hospital.
Aligbe said the citizens should see the army as their pride. He appealed to them to take ownership of the army. He urged the people not to panic during the period of the military operation. According to him the exercise was also designed to improve the professional capabilities of soldiers. He said that all insinuations and suspicions against the military exercise were untrue. He insisted that there was no cause for alarm.
He said: “Nigerians should take ownership of the army and see the army army as the pride of the nation and that’s exactly what we have come here to demonstrate within the context of operation crocodile smile II.
“Operation Crocodile Smile II is intended to increase the rhythm of our combat operations in the creeks and land-based activities.
”At the end of the day, the operational skills of all those participating will be sharpened and of course, we would have gained more mileage in our operational capabilities.
”This, of course, you know a lot resources have been committed to the operations to boost what we are doing and so what probably we would have covered in three months will be able to cover in just one month.
”So, the operation is going to increase the rhythm of our operations as well as the mileage we are going to attain in terms of our operational gains”.
Immunization Not Part of Military’s Medical Mission
There was a period of commotion following insinuations that the military as part of its exercise was administering monkey pox vaccines to children in school. It started in Onitsha, Anambra State.
Pandemonium took over the city as parents ran to schools to withdraw their children. The rumoured poisonous vaccines grew in proportion and made an inroad into Bayelsa State. It spread to Edo and other parts of the country.
But all was hogwash; a lie from the pit of hell as some people would say. As the commotion lasted, nobody was able to produce a pictorial evidence of soldiers clutching vaccine kits to school.
Aligbe explained that vaccination has never been a part of military exercise. He said military operations included medical outreaches and not immunization of children.
Aligbe said: “During our medical outreaches, we do not give vaccines, we do not do immunisation. We do basic medical checks and then offer medical materials to individuals that need them and it is not by force.
”You will be surprised that in this time and age when you have social media that not even a shadow of the so-called people dressed in military uniform were caught on camera, especially with everybody having a cell phone that has camera in it.
”Not even one school, not anywhere the same message, the same rumour that was heard in other states. Unfortunately, the rumour was replicated here in Yenegoa on Friday and caused a lot of apprehension. But as leaders, we must stay on the path of truth in making sure that the services that is expected of us are delivered to the people.”
He added that the military operation would include routine activities in the creeks, rivulets and land patrols for confidence building. He said the donation was part of the medical outreaches of the Army within the context of its community relationship in their area of operations.
In his remarks, the FMC Public Relations Officer, who received Aligbe and other Army officers on behalf of the hospital management, said they were highly elated to receive the medical items.
Akpedi said: ”As a federal government facility, we are highly elated to receive the medical items.
”We know very well that this is the beginning of better relationship with the Nigerian Army not just for the staff of this hospital but Bayelsa State in general.”
