…donates relief materials to Orphanage Home;
…doles-out wheelchairs to physically-challenged.
by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
In a bid to strengthen its non-kinetic approaches to maintaining security within the Joint Operations Area (JOA), the Joint Task Force “Operation ENDURING PEACE” (JTF OPEP) has launched a tree planting campaign, donated relief materials to an Orphanage Home, and distributed wheelchairs to physically-challenged students.
The event, which took place at Government College Jos, was organized by Sector 1 JTF OPEP, on Saturday.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Special Guest of Honour, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army (NA) and Commander JTF OPEP, Major-General Folusho Oyinlola, stated that the Sector has consistently demonstrated commitment not only to securing lives and property within its area of responsibility but also to advancing community well-being and healthy living.
He maintained that the tree planting exercise reflects one of the non-kinetic activities of JTF OPEP, designed to win the hearts and minds of the people, while promoting their health and quality of life.
According to General Folusho, the exercise also represents a deliberate step to support host communities in tackling the challenges of deforestation often driven by illegal felling of trees for domestic use.
General Oyinlola pointed out that, the rebranding of the Operation comes with a renewed determination to pursue all legitimate means of restoring peace and stability in the Joint Operations Area, which involves tactical deployment, effective coordination and the mapping of ungoverned spaces to deny criminal elements freedom of action.
The Commander called on the people to cooperate with security agencies, while ensuring that enemies of the state are held accountable for their crimes.
Speaking earlier, Commander Sector 1 JTF OPEP, Navy Captain MA Fana, thanked the GOC/Commander JTF OPEP for his moral and logistics support, and also thanked all critical stakeholders within Sector 1 AOR for their contributions towards the success of the tree planting exercise.
The Commander Sector 1 further noted that the disturbing changes in the environment, which have eroded its beautiful features, motivated the Sector to embark on the campaign of tree planting as a non-kinetic intervention to the host communities.
In the same vein, Commissioner for Education Plateau State, Dr Mrs Kachollom Pyam, expressed deep appreciation on behalf of the State Government for the kind gesture of JTF OPEP. She assured the Command that the trees would be nurtured by the students and that old tradition of planting trees in schools would be revived.
The event was graced by the Commissioner for Education Plateau State, the Commissioner of Police Plateau State, the Provost Federal College of Forestry Jos, Royal Fathers, and Religious Leaders.
The event featured tree planting, donation of wheelchairs to physically-challenged students, and donation of relief materials to an Orphanage Home.