Buratai to flag off exercise Atilogwu Dance in Abia, as army holds 2 Days seminar for Southeast journalists in Enugu

Buratai to flag off exercise Atilogwu Dance in Abia, as army holds 2 Days seminar for Southeast journalists in Enugu

…flags off medical outreach in Abia Community

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai is scheduled to visit, Umuahia, the Abia State capital on Friday, November 1 to flag off the 1^st Edition of Exercise Atilogwu Dance.

This is even as the leadership of the Nigerian Army is set to hold a 2 Day Civil-Media-Military Relations Summit for journalists practicing in Southeast.

According to reports, the flag off exercise which is expected to attract the presence of various government officials and other heads of security chiefs would be taking place at the Forward Operation Base (FOB) at Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) facility.

 The seminar, according to release by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa said that the summit scheduled to hold at the 82 Division Auditorium from Thursday October 31 to Friday Nov. 1 is in line with the desire of the Chief of Army Staff to adequately inform, educate and carry along members of the public on the activities of the Nigerian Army aimed at ensuring excellent civil-military relations within the 82 Division’s Area of Responsibility (AOR) comprising Abia, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi and Anambra States respectively.

“The summit is intended to sensitize the media and members of the public on the Nigerian Army’s exercises and operations across Nigeria especially in the Southeast zone.

“Consequently, a lecture would be delivered by distinguished Professor, Sunny Udeze of the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Management Science and Dean Post Graduate School of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.”

In another development, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, L.A. Adegboye has flagged off a medical outreach in Akanu, Ohafia Local Government Area of the state.

According to Adegboye, “Community Social Responsibility is the part of the age-long tradition of the armed forces.

“We all know that every military personnel come from a community in the country and wherever we find ourselves.

“Wherever we found ourselves, we regard them as our own. And so, it is incumbent on us that Community Social Responsibility to let our own know that we are part of them.

“Whatever services that we are enjoying in the barracks, we also extend such services to our host community and that is why we are here. It is not going to be one off thing; it is going to be continuous. 

“It is medical outreach today. Tomorrow, it might be a touch in the school or on the road. All we need is for the community and the people within our Area of Responsibility and Nigerians to know that belong to them. We only solicit for your cooperation. 

“This is a prelude to our yearly exercise which is now Christened Egwu Atilogwu Udo I. The aim of the exercise is to make sure that banditry, kidnappings, armed robbery,  cultism are stopped. 

“Seasons like this individuals visit their state of origins and communities for weddings and other ceremonies within the Christmas and New Year seasons.

“The exercise is aimed at making sure that within the period, all criminal activities are reduced to nothing. And after the period also, we will make sure that we continued with it. 

It is our responsibility to remain awake while our host sleeps with their two eyes closed. So, this is the beginning of the exercise.

“The exercise will be officially flagged off on the 1^st of Nov. we need your cooperation to fight cultism, robbery and all manner of crimes that are being perpetrated.

“These crimes are committed by people, not animals nor creatures from other planet. They are committed by our own people. We cannot allow them to continue perpetrating their evil acts.

“We are therefore out to stop these nefarious activities. We need your assistance by providing us credible information which is very key in our profession. We need you all to cooperate with us and if you give us any information, be sure that it is going to be treated with utmost confidentiality.

“We will not allow people to be cowed by the hoodlums. If you provide us with credible information, it will help us work effectively.”

In his response, HRM Ezeogo Mba O. Okereke said “this is one of the good things that has happened in our community. It creates good relationship.

“The community is elated and we are very happy. I am confident that it is going to make great impact on the community. That is the kind of relationship that we want to court with the military.”