Army renovates Nigeria’s first oil well in Oloibiri, Bayelsa

The 16 Brigade Nigeria Army  at the weekend signposts the historical value of the iconic Oloibiri well. The activity was part of the military community relations exercise to round off its surveillance of Operation Crocodile Smile II.
The rehabilitation of the first Oil well Oloibiri is to give it a face-lift for tourist attraction .
The General Officer Commanding 6 Division,  Nigerian Army, Major General Enobong Udoh  who represented the Chief of Army
staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai in his remarks said the essence of Operation Crocodile Smile II was to rid the Niger Delta of
miscreants who indulge in destroying the national Assets located in the
region.
Buratai said “Operation Crocodile Smile II was being conducted across the Niger Delta States formerly flagged off on 7th of October and ended in 28th of October adding that it he Nigerian Army with the vision of the Chief of Army staff was to continue to meet up with the security challenges in the country.
“As you know, we have a lot of challenges, cattle rustling, Boko Haram, cultism, here in the Niger Delta, we have oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, kidnap and the rest of them.
So the Nigerian Army in our operation has been doing our jobs through
operations like lafia lawo, operation python dance and here operation
crocodile smile II” He said.
All the operations he maintained are to position the Nigerian Army to
combat the threats and make the Nation to have a conducive environment for business to take place and for our law abiding citizens to go about their normal business without bring hindered”.
He said during such operations, the Nigerian Army goes closer to the people because adding that they belong to the people, identity with them carry out some community relations activities which they carry out like the medical outreaches, educational activities by way of donating Educational materials and conducting of sanitation exercises.
On the rehabilitation of the Oloibiri oil well, he said “We chose to rehabilitate this place as part of our activity for the operation crocodile smile II so that it can be repositioned to get its purpose for public attention”
Earlier the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa state Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John
Jonah retired said that the text book teaching was now getting to reality.
He said ” On a more serous note, the military as much as it is trying is not getting the much needed attention.
Tourism has been defined as one area where we are meant to generate fund
for the state. And Oloibiri  due to its significance importance is one of the area that we are very interested in. For that Army, you have taken this
initiative, it is a challenge to us. We shouldn’t leave it as it is now.
More can still be done”
“Let us also try to dispel this rumour of vaccination. The Nigerian Army
can never indulge in such a thing” he said.
Congratulating them for the initiative, he assured that any time such
initiative comes, the state government would be ready to support them.
He called on investors both private and public organizations to partner
with the Government to enlarge the tourist centre the more.
Gboribiogha said it was a wake up call to all adding that the task was not only a challenge to the state government but also to the Federal Government.
The Commander of the 16 Brigade Brigadier-General Kevin Aligbe in his
remarks He said what they did was to add a pinch of tourist value to the monument
and called on the tourism enthusiasts in the country to come and explore
the tourism potentials of the place so they take it to the place of global recognition. Also Operation Crocodile smile II had increased the rhythm of their operations and as well as the mileage they had attained in terms of their operational gains.
He said the rehabilitation of the Oloibiri oil well 1 was one of their
corporate social responsibilities l athat they take the protection of
lived, oil and gas, infrastructure in the Niger Delta, anti piracy, anti
kidnapping, Illegal oil bunkering and sundry vices serious .
The brigade he said seeked permission from the Bayelsa state ministry of tourism development to rehabilitate in a symbolic manner the Oloibiri oil well 1.

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