From Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
Moving towards fostering civil-military relations across the nation, the Nkwegu Military Cantonment Abakaliki has offered free medical services to people of the Obeagu community in the Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
NATIONAL PANEL reports that there was a huge turnout of both the elderly and the younger people from the Ibeagu Community as they came out to partake in the free medical care and treatment offered by the Nigerian Army in the area.
The services rendered by the military included medical consultations, provisions of free drugs for malaria prevention and treatment as well as distribution of treated mosquito nets, among others.
According to the Commanding Officer 24 Support Engineer Regiment in Nkwegu Military Cantonment Abakaliki, Lieutenant Colonel Sunday Atomode, the medical outreach was part of activities marking Exercise Golden Dawn II currently going on in the Southeast States.
He explained that the Nigerian Army apart from carrying out military operations also has Military Civilians relationships where medical services and other social assistance are provided.
Some of the beneficiaries lauded the initiative and urged the Nigerian army to continue to sustain it for the benefit of the poor and the less privileged.
The Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Sunday Atomode was accompanied by senior officers in the Cantonment.
Recall that the troops of 82 Division in conjunction with the Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services on Exercise Golden Dawn II on Monday 19 December 2022 conducted Joint raid operations at an IPOB/ESN Camp located at Amagu village Nkalaha Community, Ishielu LGA of Ebonyi State.
During the raid operations, NATIONAL PANEL reports that the troops came in contact with members of the dissident group, resulting in an exchange of fire.
Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, made this known in a press release.
The release further read in parts: "In the encounter, the gallant troops neutralized some of the terrorists, while others took to their heels abandoning the camp.
"On winning the firefight, troops recovered 102 rounds of 7.62mm special, 2 Pump Action guns, 5 locally made rifles, 1 roll of Detonator 27, quantity 24 Detonators, 33 electrical cables, quantity 12 type 36 Hand Grenades and 12 bags of substances suspected to be Marijuana. Other items recovered include 3 Motorcycles, 2 Generators, 1 Water pumping machine, Military woodland camouflage and a Nigeria Police uniform.
"In a separate operation on the same date, troops on routine patrol in the Agubeji community in Enugu state have arrested a suspect, one Mr Martins Abogwu, for conniving with IPOB/ESN elements to unleash attacks on innocent citizens. The suspect, who claimed he is the Chief Security Officer of the community is assisting in the preliminary investigations that followed and have led troops to their camp, where a shallow grave containing 2 decomposing bodies were uncovered. One of the corpses has been identified as a member of the local vigilante, who was kidnapped about a month ago.
"The Nigerian Army reassures law-abiding citizens of its unwavering resolve, in synergy with other services and security agencies, to deny criminal elements the freedom of action and progressively rid the nation of identified
threats to national security by executing its constitutional responsibilities in conformity with extant rules of engagement.
"The NA also encourages members of the public to work harmoniously with the security agencies to collectively make the South East and the entire nation secure and peaceful."
