The Nigerian Army has said that no fewer than 1,500 people had benefited from its free medical outreach; exercise crocodile smile IV in Kiribo community, Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The exercise crocodile smile IV is designed to be inter-agency and inter-service driven, which include NPF, DSS, NSCDC, Customs, Immigration, NDLEA, Correctional Service and the Vigilante.
They are to work harmoniously as a team to ensure peace and security in the southern part of Ondo State.
Brig-. Gen. Zakari Abubakar, the Commander of 32 Artillery Brigade, made this disclosure while speaking with newsmen during the exercise at the community market square on Thursday.
Abubakar, who said that the gesture was part of the civil military relations of the ongoing exercise crocodile smile IV in the southern part of the state, said it would also cement the relationship between the Nigerian Army and the community.
He explained that the medical services delivered included, general consultation, general eye examination, health education, oral care, laboratory investigations, issuance of free mosquito nets and drugs.
Abubakar, who thanked the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai and General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Ibadan, Maj-. Gen. Anthony Omozoje for their exemplary leadership for finding the Brigade worthy of hosting the exercise.
The General also thanked them for approving the civil military activities, even as he charged the community to embrace peace and shun violence in return to reciprocate the gesture.
“Nothing goes for nothing and there is no free lunch anywhere, so as we have decided to reach out to the people today, we need you to embrace peace because with peace, people will rest and we will also rest,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Army distributed toothpaste, tooth brushes and rice for the beneficiaries in the community to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.
Also, since the exercise began on Nov. 8, sheduled to last till Dec. 23, the Nigerian Army had donated some computers and printers, exercise books, generators, stationary and sporting materials to schools at Atijere community.
The Nigerian Army also provided free outreach to people of Ugbo community, all in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
It has also carried out sanitation exercise by clearing garbages and refuse at Irele community market as well as the renovation of four market toilets and boreholes in the Irele Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Omolewa Ojo, the Chairman, Ese-Odo Local Government Area, who lauded the gesture, appreciated the Army for giving out free medical services and rice to the people to celebrate Christmas and the New year.
‘This is a laudable project. I give kudos to the Chief of Army Staff for that. This is the first of its kind because it has never happened since 1960 since Nigeria got independence,” he said.
Ojo, who noted Ese-Odo, as a place where security challenges had become serious and where people felt that they could do anything for a living, said that with the intervention of the Nigerian Army, that would come to pass.
He, therefore, pledged the maximum support and cooperation of the people with the Nigerian Army to enable it enjoin a robust relationship and peace while in the state.
Similarly, Oba Johnson Ajayi, the Alapaka of Kiribo Kingdom, appreciated the Nigerian Army’s gesture and called on it to continue with this kind of programme in the future.
According to Ajayi, the free medical outreach will go a long way in addressing the health challenges of people and help those who cannot afford hospital bills, especially the elderly persons in the community.
Two of the beneficiaries, Mrs Module Ogundowo and Mr Olatunde Tolo, an 80- year-old man, who had a visual problem, appreciated the Nigerian Army for the assistance so far rendered in the community.
