The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has been appreciated by the Idumwowina Community in the Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo for providing a safety net for the indigenous people, particularly during the Yuletide.The praise was given in a statement released in Benin on Sunday by Pa Daniel Osunde, the community's Odionwere (oldest member).
He said that the community's recent experiences with safety and protection of lives and property were due to the military's noticeable presence in the area.
He views the recent opening of the COAS-sponsored "Pa Igbinomwanhia Uyigue Multi-Purpose Hall," a Civil Military Cooperation Project, and the operations of Operation Still Water 111 as admirable and ambitious endeavors.
The Odionwere acknowledged that the hall would be a true source of income production for the community, even as they expressed gratitude to the COAS and Maj-Gen. Sunday Igbinomwanhia, the son of the village, who brought in and carried out the project.
"We look forward to kindhearted individuals and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who are interested in providing skill acquisition training for young people and underprivileged members of society to utilize the Multi-Purpose Hall's availability to conduct skill acquisition training programs for young people in the community specifically and the LGA generally.
He added, "The hall will also assist the government in addressing the unemployment issue and in reducing the security challenges faced throughout the state and the nation."
Pa Osunde also praised the project executor's prior contributions to the community's development as the Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke.
He specifically remembered, among other things, his free medical outreach, the community's primary school renovation, the school administration's and the students' provision of educational materials, such as books, writing, and teaching aids, the school's donation of a lawnmower, and the community's provision of palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On December 5, Lagbaja opened a 200-seat multipurpose hall with contemporary furnishings as part of the Nigerian Army's Civil-Military Cooperation project.
Lagbaja was represented by Maj-Gen. Zakari Abubakar, the Nigerian Army's Chief of Transformation and Innovation.
"The inauguration of this special intervention civil-military cooperation project signifies a noteworthy accomplishment in the Nigerian Army's endeavors to fulfill its constitutional obligations of conducting essential operations towards the realization of our non-kinetic drives," he had stated.
Maj-Gen. Igbinomwanhia was also praised by Lagbaja, who described him as a brave, accountable, and straightforward commander who had made a significant contribution to the Nigerian Army's success story over the years.
Lagbaja revealed that the project was one of the 220 COAS-sponsored civil-military cooperation initiatives that have been carried out nationwide to far, while also expressing gratitude to the government and the good people of Edo for their support of the Nigerian Army.
He claims that the projects are significantly improving the impacted communities and demonstrate the dedication to creating a safer and more prosperous Nigeria.