By Olayemi Esan, Abuja
As part of activities marking the 2021 Nigerian Army Day Celebration, the Nigerian Army on Monday conducted medical outreach at Mpape community, Bwari Area Council in Abuja.
The Chief of Army Staff Maj.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya who flag off outreach said aside from its constitutional roles, the Army carries out humanitarian services to its host communities at intervals.
According to Blueprint Online who covered this said, COAS disclosed that the area was selected because of the population and assessment of the need of the people.
He said, “The Nigerian Army is your Army. In addition to the constitutional role of the Army which is the defense of the territorial integrity of the country, suppression of insurrections among others, the Army also finds time to carry out Corporate Social Responsibilities at intervals, and this one of them.
“Every year during the Nigerian Army Day Celebration quick impact projects are carried out across Divisions, units, and formations of the Nigerian Army, targeting the less privileged in our host communities where these services are needed.
“The Nigerian Army also carry out quick impact assessment projects which include the provision of drinking water, sometimes we also carry out the intervention in schools, hospitals, roads, cleanliness and other services relevant to our host communities.”
He urged Nigerians to always provide information to security agencies to enable them to tackle the security situations in the country.
“I want to urge you to support the Nigerian Army by providing the Army, sister agencies, and other security agencies with relevant information that will lead us to squarely address security challenges bedeviling us as a nation.
“The criminals live among us. Sometimes we know them. Those who are involved in kidnapping for example or cattle rustling or armed robbery live within the communities, they may even be our neighbours.”
Speaking earlier, Acting Corps Commander, Nigerian Army Medical Corps Col. IB Solebo said the medical outreach is taking place in Mpape and Mabushi communities simultaneously in Abuja.
He said it will cover free cervical, prostate, and breast cancer screening, blood pressure check, sugar level, and dental screening.
Others include the distribution of mosquito nets, wheelchairs among others.
Also speaking, the district head of Mpape community Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar Gimba commended the Nigerian Army for the outreach.
” The Nigerian Army has shown by this medical outreach that it is truly our Army. They are not all about fighting wars. They have demonstrated that they care about our health also,” he said.
