The Idumwowina community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo has expressed gratitude to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, for providing a safety net for the indigenes, especially during the Yuletide.

The Odionwere (most elderly) of the community, Pa Daniel Osunde, conveyed this appreciation in a statement issued on Sunday in Benin.

He attributed the conspicuous presence of the military in the area to being responsible for the recent experiences of safety and security of lives and property in the community.

According to him, the activities of Operation Still Water 111 and the recent inauguration of the COAS-sponsored civil-military cooperation project, the “Pa Igbinomwanhia Uyigue multi-purpose hall,” in the community are commendable and lofty projects.

The Odionwere, while appreciating the COAS and the son of the community, Maj-Gen. Sunday Igbinomwanhia, who attracted and executed the project, noted that the hall would be a veritable source of revenue generation for the community.

“We look forward to good-spirited people and NGOs interested in conducting skill acquisition training for the youths and the disadvantaged in the society to take advantage of the availability of the multi-purpose hall to carry out skill acquisition training programmes for youths of the community in particular and the LGA in general.

“The hall will also help the government in addressing the unemployment problem and in curbing the security challenges experienced across the state and the country,” he said.

Mr Osunde further extolled the past contributions of the project executor, who is also the Force Commander, Operation Whirl Stroke, for the development of the community.

He particularly recalled, among others, his free medical outreach, renovation of the primary school in the community, the provision of educational materials, including books, writing and teaching aids, to the pupils and the school authority, the provision of a lawnmower to the school, and palliatives to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Lagbaja, on Dec. 5, inaugurated a 200-capacity multi-purpose hall fitted with modern accessories as part of the civil-military cooperation project of the Nigerian Army.

Mr Lagbaja was represented by the chief of transformation and innovation in the Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen. Zakari Abubakar.

He had said: “The commissioning of this special intervention civil-military cooperation project represents a significant achievement in the Nigerian Army’s efforts to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities of carrying out crucial activities towards the realisation of our non-kinetic drives.’’

Mr Lagbaja had also extolled Maj-Gen. Igbinomwanhia, describing him as a gallant, responsible, and forthright officer who had contributed his quota excellently to the success story of the Nigerian Army over the years.

While thanking the government and the good people of Edo for their support to the Nigerian Army, Mr Lagbaja disclosed that the project was among the 220 COAS-sponsored civil-military cooperation projects executed so far nationwide.

According to him, the projects are having a huge impact on the benefiting communities and are a testament to the commitment to building a safer and more prosperous Nigeria.

(NAN)