The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen. Jamal Abdulsalam, has hailed the Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri for supporting the army and troops in the state.
Abdulsalam, who led officers of the division to visit Diri in Government House, Yenagoa, said of the four states under the division, he chose to visit Bayelsa first because of Diri’s tremendous assistance to the army.
He said, “The 6 Division Nigeria Army has Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Akwa Ibom States as part of its area of responsibility. However, of these four states, of course, I am coming to pay this courtesy call to the governor.
“This is not a coincidence; it is because the Nigerian Army has enjoyed tremendous cooperation and assistance from your government. This is well known and well documented. Our troops that are deployed in Bayelsa State have reported not once, not twice, constantly about the cooperation they enjoy from Bayelsa State government,” he said.
Abdulsalam recalled that during the flood disaster, the troops helped in the evacuation and distribution of materials to victims, saying the army was ready to assist the state in handling any issue of concern.
He said, “We pledge to always be ready to assist the state government wherever it needs our assistance not necessarily in terms of natural disasters, in any area the state government deems it fit that we can come to help we are ready, we are able and we are willing to help.”
The GOC urged Diri to help the army in developing the newly created 16 Brigade in the state especially in the area of providing accommodations for them.
Governor Diri promised to assist the army in providing accommodation for soldiers to enable them perform their duties.
He also expressed appreciation to the army for the support it rendered during the burial of his father and commended the GOC for attending the funeral in person.
He advised the Nigerian Army to be professional and neutral during the forthcoming governorship election in the state
