The General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army/Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, South-South, Operation DELTA STATE, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, made this known when the Managing Director (MD)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief (Dr) Samuel Ogbuku paid him a condolence visit at the Division's Headquarters in Port Harcourt Barracks on Thursday.
A Nigerian Army chief has assured that troops conducting operations over the gruesome murder of officers and soldiers at Okuama community in the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State would be firm, strong, decisive and professional in the course of their operations.
The General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army/Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, South-South, Operation DELTA STATE, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, made this known when the Managing Director (MD)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief (Dr) Samuel Ogbuku paid him a condolence visit at the Division's Headquarters in Port Harcourt Barracks on Thursday.
The Defence Headquarters had launched a manhunt for the killers of 17 officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, who were murdered in Okuoma, Ughelli South local government area of Delta State, last Thursday.
Major General Abdussalam, while appreciating the NDDC MD and his team for the visit, said the mission handed to troops by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja is to recover the weapons carted away by the perpetrators of the crime and ensure that all those involved are arrested.
He added that troops will continue to be in the creeks until these objectives are achieved.
The GOC further reiterated that no amount of propaganda, arm-twisting, blackmailing, intimidation, and false narratives would distract troops from staying on course to achieve their objectives.
He, however, assured that the operations would be conducted most professionally in line with the global best practice of adherence to rules of engagement and respect for the fundamental human rights of the citizenry. He called on the people of the Niger Delta Region to go about their normal activities.
He appealed to people and communities to assist troops regarding the location of the fleeing criminals and the carted-away weapons.
He noted that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is the symbol of our sovereignty, stressing that the Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu captured it succinctly when he said an attack on our Armed Forces is an attack on our nation. Therefore, if we allow criminals to continue to attack our security forces, there will be anarchy, the GOC said.
A statement issued by the army on Thursday said, “Major General Abdussalam further said troops will not rest until all those involved are tracked down to account for their deeds.
“He reassured that the operation is being conducted in such a way that, going forward, nobody would contemplate attacking men in uniform. He also said false narratives being churned out, and propaganda peddled over this mindless criminality would not deter troops from fishing out the criminals.
“The GOC appreciated the MD and his team for identifying with the NA at this moment of grief. He added that there would not be development without peace and security.
“Thus, the two institutions would continue to work together for the common good of society. He called on well-meaning members of the society to avail the NA credible intelligence on where to get the criminals and ensure they answer for their crimes.”