Officers and men of the 63 Brigade of the Nigerian Army have been charged to imbibe the virtues of obedience, sacrifice and commitment exemplified by Prophet Abraham which Eid-el-Kabir signifies.
The Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Usman Bello, gave the charge in Asaba on Monday at a gathering of the military and the civilian populace to commemorate the 2019 Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
General Bello said the emulation of the obedience and sacrifice of Prophet Abraham was key to the success of the military in protecting the territorial integrity of the country and defending her borders against external aggression.
He stated that the lessons of CIMIC had helped the Nigerian Army to be subordinate to the political class which had led to an unbroken democracy since 1999, adding that civil/military cooperation had helped the Brigade to interface with the civilian populace and made information flow possible to enhance crime fighting.
General Bello said the 63 Brigade was established to bridge the gap in the security architecture of the state and had recorded successes since it came on stream in January 2019 with many arrests made, following tip offs.
The Brigade Commander commended the Delta State Government for its support for the military, assuring that the Nigerian Army would continue to ensure the safety of lives and property in the state in collaboration with the police and other security agencies.
He particularly thanked the Asaba community for its hospitality which had aided the Brigade in the prosecution of its constitutional mandate and solicited greater cooperation to ensure the desired enabling environment for people of the state to go about their activities without fear of being attacked by hoodlums.
General Bello commended the officers and men of the Brigade for their commitment and diligence to duty, urging them not to relent in view of the serious security challenges of the country.
The President of the Asaba Development Union, Professor Epiphany Azinge, who was Special Guest of Honour on the occasion, commended the Nigerian Army for establishing a presence in Asaba, noting that it had greatly improved security in the community and the state at large.
Professor Azinge, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, assured the Brigade of the continued hospitality of the Asaba people, and commended the Nigerian Army for the civil/military cooperation which had helped to demystify the Army, making them a friend of the people.
He noted that the military had ensured unbroken democracy in Nigeria by remaining apolitical, saying that was the way to go because military intervention was no longer fashionable in any part of the world.
The event featured the decoration of General Bello with the traditional Akwa Ocha of the Asaba people.
There were also performances and presentations to spice up the occasion which was attended by the member representing Oshimili south in the Delta State House of Assembly, Honourable Shedrack Rapu, the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Jerome Morkah, who represented the SSG, representatives of the Housa community and some other security agencies.
ASAGBASHIP THRONE OF ASABA: Who The Cap Fits