The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has called on the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to support its rebuilding efforts in the North East.
Buratai made the call when he paid a courtesy call on the Chairman of the Commission, Maj.-Gen. Paul Tarfa (rtd), at the commission’s headquarters, Abuja.
He said that the Nigerian army had embarked of series of programmes in the north east ranging from capacity development of women and youths to reconstruction projects in the region.
According to him, this will be the beginning of a good relationship between Nigerian Army and NEDC because we have a common goal because the challenges in the region.
He assured the commission that the army would give the commission the full support to be able to fulfil its mandate in the region.
Buratai also urged the commission to support its effort in the area of road reconstruction and barracks rehabilitation in the affected areas within the region.
He said: “We want to thank you for your effort towards complementing the government’s effort to rebuild the north east.
“Army is very critical in the northeast in stabilising to north east and I can assure you that all other things will follow.
“I want to assure you that we will provide the needed security for all your activities especially the ongoing oil exploration in the region.”
Responding, the Chairman of the Commission, Tarfa, commended the Nigerian army under Buratai for its successes in the fight against insurgency in the north east.
He also commended the army for its humanitarian services especially in the area of provision of borehole for some communities in the region.
“You have mentioned a lot of things and I know that Nigeria will forever be grateful to you because we know the security situation in the country before your coming as the army chief.
“I have seen what you have done in some of the communities in the north east apart from the military successes in the region.
NEDC chairman assured Buratai that the commission would continue to discuss with the army on how to support its activities and operations within its powers.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of NEDC, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali, said the military was one of the commission’s strategic partners in the north east, adding that NEDC could not do anything in the region without the military.
Alkali said that the commission would require continuous support of the army in the area of security to be able to carryout its activities.
“We are going to look at your proposals and see what we can do,” he said.
