The Nigerian Army on Sunday dismissed as misleading and malicious a report alleging that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Waidi Shaibu, raised an alarm over “rising cases” of pipeline vandalism during his recent visit to 6 Division, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
SaharaReporters, on 9 January, reported that Mr Shaibu, a lieutenant-general, has “expressed concern over rising pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta”.
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However, the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Appolonia Anele, in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, stated that the report was a misrepresentation of facts and should be disregarded.
Ms Anele, a colonel, clarified that during the COAS’ address to troops at the 6 Division Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, on 9 January, he did not express concern nor raise any alarm over alleged rising pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.
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According to her, the COAS emphasised the importance of the Division’s mandate to protect critical national infrastructure, noting that effective execution of the task would have a positive impact on the nation’s economy.
She quoted COAS as saying, “Your job here is very key to protecting critical national infrastructure, and once you do that job very well, it will impact positively on the economy of the country”.
“He urged troops to remain disciplined, committed and dedicated, assuring them that their welfare remained a top priority under his Command Philosophy,” she said.
Ms Anele said the army chief also approved immediate measures to address some challenges raised by commanders, including the construction of additional accommodation, the renovation of existing quarters, and the completion of ongoing projects to ease accommodation challenges.
According to her, Mr Shaibu further assured troops that issues relating to quality education for their children were being addressed, while urging personnel to carry out their duties conscientiously.
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“Fielding questions from journalists, the COAS said his visit was part of routine operational tours to interact with officers and men, assess their combat readiness and identify challenges for prompt solutions.”
Ms Aneke stressed that security parameters on the ground demonstrated commendable efforts by troops and other security agencies in combating oil theft and pipeline vandalism, resulting in improved stability and sustained exploration activities in the oil and gas sector.
She urged media organisations to verify facts before publication and called on members of the public to disregard reports aimed at downplaying security efforts in the region.
She also appealed to residents of the Niger Delta to continue providing credible intelligence on the activities of economic saboteurs to security agencies, thereby enabling a prompt response.
(NAN)
