Bayelsa State governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, has called on the people of the state to discountenance the rumour making the rounds that the ongoing Army medical outreach was to endanger the health and safety of the people.

The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Francis Ottah Agbo, noted in a statement that the governor made the call while receiving a letter of commendation from the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai in Government House, Yenagoa, yesterday.

Governor Dickson, who described the rumour as unfounded, urged Nigerians not to panic, but rather cooperate with the military in discharging its mission and community support initiatives, which, he said, were designed to have positive impact on the people.

Reiterating his administration’s commitment towards sustaining the prevailing peace, security and stability in the state, Governor Dickson assured the Nigerian Army and other security agencies of greater support in discharge of their constitutional duties.

He explained that the state government has donated a large expanse of land for the building of a barrack in Yenagoa and a forward operations base at the western senatorial district to enhance security.

Related News

His words: “The military and other security agencies are a force for good. And, I want to use this opportunity to call on community leaders to continue to support the military. We can’t have a Nigerian military that is coming here to inject people with poisonous substances. That is not the army we have. This is our own army. These are our brothers, friends and fellow Nigerians, who mean well for all of us.”

Earlier in his remarks, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai, who was represented by Major Gen. Rogers Nicholas commended Governor Dickson for the invaluable support his administration had been giving to the Nigerian Army, particularly the provision of land for the building of barracks and forward operation base, as well as creating a conducive environment for the army to tackle insecurity in the state.

Delivering a letter of appreciation from the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Nicholas, who is the Chief of Logistics, Army Headquarters, lauded the people of Bayelsa for their understanding and cooperation and pledged that, the army would redouble its efforts in tackling security challenges in the country.

The chief of army staff intimated the governor of the intention of the Nigerian Army to carry out its medical outreach programme and donation of educational materials to various communities in the state by next week, as a part of its “Operation Crocodile Smile” exercise.