Kwara Gov reiterates support for security agencies
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening existing cordial relationships between personnel of the Armed Forces and civilians in the state.
He also commended their efforts — alongside other sister agencies — to protect the national territorial integrity and check criminality and keep the state peaceful.
AbdulRazaq spoke at the 2021 edition of the Nigerian Army/West Africa Social Activities (WASA), organised by 22 Armoured Brigade Sobi in conjunction with the Army Institute of Science and Education Technology in Sobi, Ilorin.
He said: “I commend all officers and men of the Nigerian Army for standing firm for national peace, unity, and defending the integrity of our national boundaries, and your patriotic roles in maintaining very cordial civil-military relations in Nigeria and especially in Kwara State.
“Rest assured that our administration remains committed to promotion of that existing relationship between the civil populace and the 22 Brigade/ Nigerian Army Institute of Science and Education Technology.”
AbdulRazaq acknowledged the vital roles of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to promote peace and national unity, especially in Kwara State where they are part of the internal security architecture called Operation Harmony.
“We send our profound gratitude to 22 Brigade for your support for the civil authority and collaboration with sister security agencies to make Kwara a safe place. Your contributions to our Operation Harmony are enormous. We truly appreciate this,” he added.
“Similarly, I join Mr. President and the people of Nigeria to commend the military institutions for their unending and professional efforts to keep the country peaceful and united. I urge you to keep this up.
“I assure you of our continuous support and cooperation as the host state. We will always consider the army barracks and cantonments as an integral part of our constituency.”
Commandant 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Abdulsalam Abubakar, for his part, said the event was an annual gathering to celebrate army personnel and their family members through their diverse sociocultural backgrounds.
“WASA affords us the opportunity to appraise our performance in any given year. This includes our approach to training, operations and administration in our areas of responsibility,” Abubakar said.
The Brigade, he added, has also established Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in Karunji in Baruten LGA and Babana in Borgu LGA (Niger) that complement operations in various states, following approval by the COAS, he added, saying these efforts have contributed positively to the relative peace in Kwara State within 22 Brigade’s area of operations.