Rivers community hails Army for distributing palliative to charity home, widows, others
Nelson Chidiebere
Students, Widows and Orphans in Ebubu and Aleto in Eleme council of Rivers state could not contain their joy as troops of 29 battalions of Nigerian Army Port Harcourt, distributed food items and exercise books as a means to foster military/civil relations in the state. The elated community members said the gesture was unprecedented, saying that despite the selfless service the military rendered to the community in ensuring peace, the army had taken the cooperation a notch higher by their gesture.
The Nigerian Army, over weekend, distributed ten thousand exercise books to students of Community Secondary School, Ebubu, and donated food items to Widows and visited Love Crucified orphanage home in Aleto communities in Eleme council of the State as part of ongoing activities of Operation Still water launched in the state recently.
The Paramount ruler of Ebubu Community, His Royal Highness, Emere Goya-Chinwi, while receiving the military contingent led by the Commanding officer, 29 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Ishaya Manga, said the community is grateful to the Army for identifying indigent groups and stepping in to provide succour for them in the biting economy.
“The gifts you have given to the windows today marks another stage. On behalf of the widows and women of Ebubu, this has gone beyond mere security to assisting with palliatives and the community has loved them.”
While responding, the Commanding Officer, 29 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Lt Col Manga who disclosed that the battalion is under the leadership of the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division Nigerian Army Port Harcourt Barracks, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, said the gesture was a move by the Army to consolidate on the existing Military/Civil relationship that will build a robust cooperation towards combating crime and criminality.
He said the non-kinetic approach used in tackling criminality in the state was in tandem with the people-oriented philosophy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.
Manga said, “It would be recalled that on the 13th of October, 2023, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, flagged off an exercise known as Operation Still Water Three here in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“Part of the exercise is designed to get rid of criminal activities within Rivers State, the exercise is not only conducted by the military alone, other security agencies are also involved in the exercise. The community leaders, traditional rulers and other critical stakeholders in Rivers State are also part of the operation.
“We have seen that using the kinetic approach alone would not guarantee the successful conduct of this exercise and that was why the non-kinetic approach was also adopted in line with the kinetic approach so that we can actualise the vision of the Chief of Army Staff.”
Meanwhile, beneficiaries of distributed items thanked the army for the gesture saying it was a rare act of humanity.
According to Reverend Sister, Chika Maria, the proprietress of Love Crucified Orphanage home thanked the Army, saying the visit is a ray of hope that things are getting better in the country. 
“We are very grateful, this is the first time in the history of this establishment we have seen this type of large group of military visiting us. It is a thing of joy and this shows that there is something new that will spring up in Nigeria,” she said.
A widow, Aken Charity also said: ” I thank the Army, God bless them for bringing food for us. May God protect them as they go about their work.
Also, Mr Nkara Barine, Principal of UBE Community Secondary School Ebubu, Eleme said: “On behalf of the students we welcome you. This single effort means a lot to us, especially those who don’t have notebooks and have the privilege of getting one today. We want more but with this one that you have done, we will use it judiciously.
