Army to Build Youths’ Capacity to Accelerate Economic Growth
Linus Aleke in Abuja
The Nigerian Army yesterday vowed to continue to build the capacity of the youth through provision of quality educational infrastructure to enable them compete with their peers globally and contribute to the security and socio-economic development of Nigeria.
Nigerian Army reiterated this vow while commissioning a block of classrooms and administrative offices at Ahmad Datti Government Secondary School in Gwale Local Government Area of Kano state.
A statement by the Nigerian Army, said the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, emphasised the project’s goal of “enhancing students’ learning experience and fostering Army community harmony”.
This was as troops in the Niger Delta areas nabbed eleven suspects, discovered and deactivated over 20 illegal bunkering sanctuaries and 22 boats used for the criminality in the area.
Lagbaja who was represented by the Chief of Civil Military Affairs Maj Gen Nosakhare Ugbo said the aim of the project was to provide conducive learning environment for Nigerian youths.
The Chief of Defence Communications Maj Gen Sani Bashir expressed appreciation to the COAS for the renovation of the project, stating “an overreaching need to provide conducive learning environment for our youth who are leaders of tomorrow”.
He further said that he hoped that the infrastructure would serve as an impetus for the teachers and stimulate the interest of the students to develop their intellectual capacity for national development.
The Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, represented by the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Shehu Sagagi said the project has shown an exemplary and outstanding clarion call of the COAS.
“We can build the future we all dream of in assessing qualitative education while also securing the territorial integrity,” he stated.
He also appreciated the kindness of the contractors, noting that educational development is not a sole responsibility of the government but rather a collective effort.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army said that troops of 6 Division in conjunction with other security agencies have sustained the crackdown posture against illegal oil bunkering and associated crimes in the Niger Delta Region.
The Nigerian Army said: “In the preceding week, eleven suspects were arrested, over 20 illegal bunkering sanctuaries deactivated and 22 boats used for the criminality were intercepted. Additionally, six arms of various calibres and cartridges were recovered with over 118,000 litres of stolen products handled appropriately in various operations conducted across the region.
“In the operations conducted in Rivers State, troops effectively denied the economic saboteurs freedom of action. In Jigama, Bille general area, Degema LGA, troops effectively deactivated four active artisanal refineries, three wooden boats and recovered over 35,000 litres of stolen products.
“ Relatedly, in Krakarma, Bille general area, Degema LGA four active illegal refining sites, three fibre as well as two wooden boats were destroyed with over 14,000 litres of stolen automotive gas oil and 8,000 stolen crude recovered”.
The service disclosed that at Orashi River, two wooden boats with over 5,500 litres of condensates were intercepted. This, he said, was in addition to one suspect arrested in connection to the act of vandalizing the pipeline behind Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Gas Plant in Ogba/Ndoni/Egbema LGA (ONELGA). Along Obiafu Ndoni and Kreigani all in ONELGA, troops intercepted several vehicles loaded with stolen products.
“In Bayelsa State, around Okokokiri general area, in Nembe LGA, one illegal refining site, two massive metal tanks, with reservoirs were deactivated with over 30,000 litres of stolen products recovered. Also, Diebu Creek in Southern Ijaw LGA (SILGA), two active illegal refining site, three drums, five boats with over 4,500 litres of stolen products were confiscated,” the statement said.
