Nigerian Army, 63 Brigade, on Monday, kicked-off the 2019 Operation Crocodile Smile IV with a medical outreach at the disputed boundary between Aladja in Udu Local Government Area and Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Commander, 63 Brigade, Brigadier General Usman Bello, in his kick-off address, said the exercise was in line with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff, Nigerian Army, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai to have a professionally-responsive army in the discharge of its constitutional role.
Brig. Gen. Bello, who was represented by Chief of Staff, 63 Brigade Headquarters, Asaba, Col. Nyong Orok, said the Exercise Crocodile Smile 4 was designed as part of the Nigerian Army’s strategies to keep to its constitutional roles of assisting the civil authority in combating various security threats in Delta State.
He added that the exercise would focus on the prevailing security challenges in Delta state such as illegal oil bunkering, oil pipeline vandalism, cultism, kidnapping and militancy.
The medical outreach, he disclosed, was one and first in the series of humanitarian activities of Exercise Crocodile Smile 4, to build the confidence and secure the co-operation of law-abiding citizens while combating criminal elements in the state.
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Col. Orok, while underscoring the choice of Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities as the kick-off point, conjectured that the aggregate of the collaborative effort of both communities during the medical outreach would yield a positive result in advancing peace and security and the general development of the once-volatile communities.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Hon. Chiedu Ebie, who represented Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to kick off the humanitarian military exercise, warned criminals and miscreants, especially perennial sponsors of violence in the twin communities, to steer clear of their ignoble profession.
Ebie, who thanked the Nigerian Army, 63 Brigade for the free medical outreach to folks particularly in Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh in the state, urged all security agencies to work in harmony with a view to bringing the security challenges across the country under control.
While urging the Nigerian Army to remain calm, but firm in handling the civil populace during the exercise, the SSG promised to work with all security agencies to ensure that anyone caught was made to face the full wrath of the law.
Exercise Crocodile Smile 4, which will be conducted from November 8th to December 23rd 2019, is aimed at consolidating on the gains of Exercise Crocodile Smile 3 and other previous exercises conducted in 63 Brigade area of responsibility.
Highlights of the Monday medical outreach were medical examinations carried out on tens of folks from both communities, including physically-impaired 76-year-old Mrs Kakawei Monday, who got free drugs and eyeglasses.
Dignitaries at the event included Warri Area Commander, CP Muhammed Garba, chairmen of Warri South-West and Udu LGA, Mr Taiye Tuoyo and Mr Jite Brown, SA to Governor Okowa on security, Chief David Tonwe, representative of Pere of Ogbe-Ijoh, Chief Favour Izoukumor and representatives of the Nigerian Navy, FRSC, NSCDC and DSS, among others.
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