The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division of the Army, Maj.-Gen. Jamil Sarham, has said the resilience and doggedness of officers and men of the division helped to stop subversive elements who tried to compromise the 2019 elections.
Some of these men, he lamented, died in defence of Nigeria’s democracy.
Gen. Sarham, who is also the Land Component Commander of Operation Delta Safe, spoke at the weekend when he received an award of excellence from the ECOWAS Youth Council and Northern Youth Council of Nigeria. The event held at the headquarters of 6 Division in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He said: “The 2019 elections, which 6 Division acted in aid of the Nigeria Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), offered a unique experience. I am proud to say that activities which culminated in the recognition and subsequent awards are because of the able leadership and guidance of our Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, whose vision is to have a professionally responsive Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles. This, no doubt, has been our guiding principle in 6 Division.”
The GOC praised the organisers for their diligence and belief in the corporate existence of Nigeria, even as he dedicated the awards to officers and men of the 6 Division in particular, and the Army at large, for their hard work, untiring efforts and professionalism.
He added: “The Army has the constitutional responsibility to safeguard our territorial integrity and come in aid of civil authority when the need arises. The advent of some security challenges is part of most developing nations. These myriad of security challenges necessitated the review of the Nigerian Army Order of Battle by the Army Council, and subsequent approval of the Nigerian Army Order of Battle 2016, by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The Nigerian Army Order of Battle 2016 came with the establishment of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, among others. The 6 Division has under its Area of Responsibility (AOR), four States of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers, with its headquarters domiciled in Port Harcourt. Operational and administrative activities of the Division started in November 2016, while the Division was operationalised on July 13, 2017…”
“Part of its mandates is to protect national assets, fight oil theft, kidnapping, sea piracy, cultism, robbery and other sundry crimes within its AOR, in conjunction with other relevant stakeholders. The Division has been satisfactorily executing these responsibilities since its inception.”
The Director of Cabinet of ECOWAS Youth Council, Daniel Nwachukwu, hailed Gen. Sarham for promoting peace, nation-building and professionalism, stressing that if Nigeria gets it right, Africa will also get it right.
President of the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria Dr. Isa Abubakar noted that Gen. Sarham had been providing effective leadership and positively contributing to Nigeria’s peace and development, and urged others to emulate him.