By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
In her effort to boost the civil-military relationship in Cross River State, about 500 indigenes of Akai Efa community, in Calabar Municipality Local Government Area of Cross River State at the weekend benefited from the medical outreach organised by the authority of 13 Brigade Headquarters, Nigeria Army, Akim Barracks, Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Commander, 13 Brigade Headquarters, Brig.-Gen. Everest Okoro, told journalists present at the event that the medical outreach would help to strengthen the ties between the military/civil populace and above all, foster peace and unity between the army and their Akai Efa landlords, who are the host community
Among the medical services rendered by the soldiers to the host community of Akai Efa, were: free consultation for all diseases, blood pressure, weight check, free drugs for all, among several others.
The Brigade Commander, who spoke on the theme: Repositioning Nigeria Army in Joint Operations Environment: Panacea for Success in Addressing Contemporary Security Challenges,’ to mark the Army Day celebration, stressed that the Army Day medical outreach is an important event in the calendar of soldiers in the country.
While advancing reasons why the military authority choose to organise the medical outreach for it’s civil populace, Gen. Okoro said, “It is an occasion used to highlight Nigerian Army roles, capabilities and some novel achievements in the last one year.”
The Brigade Commander stated, “It also affords the institution the opportunity to relate with the larger society, particularly the collaborated efforts geared towards maintenance of law and order as well as security of lives and property.
“This is in line with its constitutional responsibility in aid of civil authority.”
The army’s weeklong event which commenced on Wednesday, 29 June, kick-started with Juma’at prayers and ended with an interdenominational church service on Sunday.
The Brigade Commander maintained that the theme of the 2022 Army Day celebration is drawn from the Chief of Army Staff’s vision of “A Professional Nigerian Army Ready to Accomplish Assigned Missions Within a Joint Environment in Defence of Nigeria.
Okoro assured their host community of the soldiers readiness to go the extra miles to ensure that pepertrators of insecurity in the country are dealt with according to the law of the land.
While thanking the army for the benevolence, Village Head, Akai Efa community, Her Royal Highness, Mrs. Henrietta Efa, hailed the military authority for the kind gesture, adding that residents of the community are happy for the army’s concern towards providing good medical care for her people.
The village Head said, “The soldiers have surprised us. We are happy. Notwithstading the economic hard times, they still rendered this kind of service to us. We thank the army and the military authority for the show of love and care to our people.”
