Gov Sim Fubara who received a divisional army commander in his office Wednesday, February 19, 2025, has sued for professionalism in the way security and military chiefs operate in states.
Gov Fubara urged such commanders to recognize the state governors and apply professionalism in working with state governors for the good of the host states.
The governor thus alleged that the previous General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt undermined the importance of collaboration between critical stakeholders, especially the State Government in addressing security challenges by refusing to have a working relationship with his administration.
The governor emphasised that Rivers State, as the economic strength of Nigeria, placed enormous tasks on those saddled with the responsibility to protecting critical national infrastructure to synergise on strategies to tackle real challenges to enable Nigeria effectively function as a nation.
Gov Fubara made the remark when he played host to Emmanuel Eric Emekah, a Major General and General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army, who is also the Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, South-South, Operation Delta Safe, on courtesy visit to Government House in Port Harcourt.
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Gov Fubara stated the importance of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, as according to him, it is saddled with a lot of responsibilities, including protecting all national assets within its jurisdiction.
The governor, however, noted that it is difficult to achieve such feat of protecting national assets without ensuring that there is peace in the State.
Gov Fubara said: “I am really happy that you are here to do the ritual. Nothing very special. Coming here to see me doesn’t mean that we have any special relationship. It is normal, and that is the right thing to do. I need to say this so that, maybe, other persons can also understand.
“We have received the Chief of Army Staff. Very unfortunately, he passed on later. He came here for an assignment, and he visited us. But, you won’t believe that the outgone GOC did not come here for one day to see us, at least, not for anything, but to assure us that look, we have a common interest, and we are going to work together.
“Definitely, we are not going to ask him to do anything that is unprofessional, but to have this working relationship, because you need us to succeed, and we also need you to succeed.”
Gov Fubara noted that he appreciated the honour accorded to his administration by the courtesy visit, and assured of willingness to provide support within the capacity of government to make sure that the GOC succeeded in his enormous task.
He said, “And, finally, I want to say that our task today is becoming gradually complicated because of the set of people that have chosen to become problem to this country. We have issues of pipeline vandalization, destruction of gas and crude oil pipelines. Also, the worst part of it is some persons who have decided to engineer community crisis in most areas of oil operations.
“So, please, while you’re taking that responsibility as part of your assignment, wherever we need to come in, endeavour to reach out to us, so that we can also apply our own mechanism, because when it comes to issues of chieftaincy, it is within our power.”
In his speech, the GOC said recently, there was a change of baton across formations in the Nigerian Army, and he was posted to 6 Division as the GOC, stating that having resumed duties on 24th January, 2025, and taken over from his predecessor, who has been reassigned to Abuja, he decided to pay a courtesy visit to formally introduce himself to the Governor.
He said: “My visit here this afternoon is customary in the military. And to say that the task of the Division is very easy: It is simple and straight, which is the protection of critical national infrastructure in the maritime and the oil domains, and also to ensure security in the South-South region. I pledge that we will give it our utmost attention to ensure that everything is done as expected.”
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