The Nigerian Navy, Bonny Local Government, among others have resolved to sustain their partnership and collaboration with a view to assuring security, improving the health of the citizens and drive positive social impact initiatives in the area.

This was the consensus when the Nigerian Navy (NN) Forward Operating Base (FOB), Bonny organized a Medical Outreach in Finima, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State yesterday.

Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, David Irimagha, who graced the programme, accompanied by the Lawmaker representing Ward 2 in the Bonny Legislative Assembly, applauded the Nigerian Navy for its forthrightness in carrying out its corporate social responsibilities in the community.

“This outreach is another gesture that is directly impacting the lives of our people. So, I want to appreciate them for doing this. Ordinarily, it is the role of the government but they see it as a way of giving back to the people. What is happening here today is giving back to the people. It is actually not easy to bring this wonderful gesture to pass. It is born out of goodwill and good faith.”

The Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy (NN) Forward Operating Base (FOB), Bonny, Commodore Kola Oguntuga had earlier said that the Nigerian Navy, in pursuance of its constitutional mandate of providing security across the maritime sector of the country, was organizing the medical outreach as a way deepening the civil-military relationship in the area.

Both men acknowledged the fact that there was the need for a functional synergy between the Local Government and the Navy, calling on the people of the area to key into this partnership to deepen the prevailing atmosphere of peace and security already existing in the area.  

Irimagha praised the Navy for being community-friendly and responsive to the yearnings of the citizens by carrying out social impact programmes that have positively affected the lives of the people while also pursuing the realization of its constitutional mandate of providing security along the waterways.  

“Look at what happening here, a free medical outreach. As I speak to you, over three hundred people have been touched on this occasion. We are so happy to partner with them and appreciate what they have been doing for our people.

“Like I said earlier, though it is the responsibility of government, they have weighed in to ensure we have it. So, I want to thank the Nigerian Navy for what they have been doing. Wherever these have come out from God will surely replenish their pockets a thousand fold”.

On the aspect of security, the Bonny LG boss pointed out that the Nigerian Navy, alongside other security agencies in the area have been living up to their mandate of ensuring the safety and security of the people of the area.

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“We have been working synergy, the Nigerian Navy and her sister security agencies in Bonny LGA. I want to send this message to our brothers and sisters here in Bonny that they should see the security men and women always as their brothers and sisters who are here to protect lives and properties.”

“I want to tell them that the Navy is a friend of theirs. They should come close. They should be free to partner with the Nigerian Navy on what they are doing. And, they have been so useful in different ways. There is virtually no time I call that they don’t respond immediately, not after.”

Irimagha attributed the prevailing security situation and peaceful atmosphere pervading the area to the responsiveness, capabilities and round-the-clock alertness of the security agencies, especially, the Nigerian Navy, asserting that “Part of the successes we have here in the local government has been in the security area. It is part of the role they have been playing. That is why you see everybody is happy”.

According to Cdre Oguntuga: “We are here because the Nigerian Navy wants to continue with the professionalism, with the vigour and objectivity in realizing its constitutional role. One of the strategies we have adopted under the leadership of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas is for us to key into the principle of mutual sharing for us to stem crime around the community along with relevant stakeholders. And the most important stakeholder is the community.”

He appealed to the people of the area to partner with them by providing relevant and timely information that will help the Navy and sister security agencies to succeed in their role of securing lives and properties of the citizenry.

“There is nobody that knows your community more than you. There is nobody that will know the good, the bad, and ugly in the community more than you. So, we want you to see us as your friends. We want you to see us as your brothers. We want you to see us as partners in progress.”

He promised to deal ruthlessly with criminals, especially sea pirates terrorizing the waterways in the area, while appealing for synergy with relevant stakeholders.

“We are going to be very hard on criminals. We are going to be very, very hard on them because we want you that are law abiding comfort, rest of mind, peace of mind, especially on the waterways. We don’t want you to be traveling on water and you are afraid. We don’t want you to be traveling on water and you are thinking will you get there? We don’t you to be traveling and you are thinking will I lose my phone? Will I lose my engine?”

“But we need you to help us. We need you to give us information. We need you to tell us where these bad boys are. We need you to tell us who these boys are. So that we can get them so that you can be comfortable.”

On his part, a representative of Finima Community, Airigha Goni Brown thanked the Nigerian Navy for its love for the people of the area, especially, Finima Community, saying the medical outreach was timeous as it would help improve the health of the people thereby increasing their life span.   

“The Nigerian Navy forward Operating Base in Bonny has special interest in the affairs of Finima. On behalf of Finima Community, the Council of Alapu, and other leadership, Finima Youths, we thank them for this medical outreach. We were invited and our youths in their numbers and their families are here. They are here to give you the treatment they have and for God to heal you”.

He called for closer partnership with the security agencies, noting that such will help them in the discharge of their constitutional roles, advising the beneficiaries of the programme to heed to the advice of the medical personnel in order to prolong their lives, urging to shun lifestyles that negatively impact on their health and wellbeing.

‘If we don’t go close to them you won’t understand what they are doing. Today, they are here. We grew up to hear that if a sick man knows what is ailing him he will live long. If you know what is ailing you and you tell them and based on what they are doing here you will continue to live long and not die. And you need to take their advice. If they say stop this, you stop it. If they say take this, you take it.”

In a chat with Kristina Reports, Chairman of Finima Youth Congress (FYC), Charles Brown extolled the initiative of the Nigerian Navy, describing it as ‘very laudable” and “wonderful Initiative” and “very good idea”, saying it would help to deepen the relationship between the military and Finima Community.

“I think it is for the good of the people, my people. For the first time in the history of this community we are experiencing this that the military, specifically, the Nigerian Navy is coming out not to only defend this nation but also showing care for the health and wellbeing of the people of Finima.”

“I think it is a wonderful initiative and a very good idea that the Nigerian Navy is demonstrating today. I think this can form a synergy between the military and the community.

“We need to see the military as not only people that carry arms to defend us but also the people that care about our health and our wellbeing. It is a well laudable programme that is going on right now”.