Recently, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai visited army formations and units in the North-east, to further boost morale of the troops fighting war against Boko Haram insurgents, and to participate in humanitarian services rendered to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) by the Nigerian Army. MUSA UMAR BOLOGI was there and reports.
Until April last year, Dikwa was a no go area, due to the dangers that lies ahead. Boko Haram terrorist had occupied the ancient town and the road to it was a dead zone.
However, troops of the Nigerian Army recaptured the town, but everything had been destroyed. Houses wear bullet holes. Shops were leveled to the ground. Cars burnt to ashes. Animals were killed. Farms are danger zone to go; and inhabitants now live in camps, and are being catered for by government and donor agencies.
These are consequences of war.
Even though it has recorded victory against Boko Haram, the army has continued to provide security on the roads to the liberated communities and the Internally Displaced People (IPDs) in their various camps in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Bauchi states. The Army has also involved in providing humanitarians services to the IDPs, such as free medical care, feeding and provision of clean water.
In his trip to Borno three weeks ago, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai visited the Dikwa IDPs camp. The camp, which has over 10 thousand people, was populated by women, children and old people.
With thousands of makeshift accommodations, the camp was surrounded by small ponds. Behind was cow dung, which stench filled the air. Apart from psychological trauma of the war, the challenges of diseases from the environment and contaminated water were obvious.
This was where the Nigerian Army endeavours to render more help beyond providing security. It took its medical personnel to the camp to render free medical services to the IDPs.
Speaking during his visit to the Nigerian Army Medical Outreach centre at the Dikwa IDP camp, the COAS said the medical outreach was aimed at solving the IPDs medical needs. He said the gesture was part of the activities of the Nigerian Army Day Celebration, which would also extend to other IDP camps in the North east.
The Dikwa medical outreach centre was akin to a full hospital. It consisted of consulting area, laboratory, pharmacy area, Nose, throat and ear treatment clinic, Counselling, Optics area, and immunization area.
Apart from various treatments rendered at the centre, complicated cases were referred to the army hospital in Maiduguri. People were also provided with free treated mosquito to curtail cases of malaria.
The COAS, who was accompanied to the camp by the Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shetima, said the services would be provided regularly in all the IDPs across the North east. He said the gesture was to show a more responsive and responsible army under his leadership.
Foods were also provided for the IPDs by the army. The COAS and the governor personally served some of the children and women in the camp.
One of the women, Sadiya Abdullahi, described the gesture by the army as “amazing”. She said though some health personnel used to come to the camp from Maiduguri once in a while, the services by the army medical personnel will further help in solving some of their health challenges.
The Nigerian Army also donated a solar-powered borehole to the camp, and was commissioned by the by the Borno State Governor and assisted by COAS.
Apart from the North East, the army has also rendered humanitarian services in some communities in the North West, where it is fighting armed bandits and cattle rustlers, through its Operation Harbin Kunama.
For instance, the army provided free medical service in Dan sadau town, which is close to Kuyan bana forest where the army engages the armed bandits and cattle rustlers. The army also donated ten thousand litters solar-powered borehole to the community, which was recently commissioned by the COAS.
The Emir of Dan sadau, Alhaji Hussaini Umar, thanked the COAS, during the commissioning of the project, for the gesture and promised total support and cooperation of the people of the emirate to the army, in order to end armed banditry in the area.
