Pix: Brig.-Gen. Oduyebo and his wife, Vera, presenting writing materials to a teacher of NAOWA Model School

The 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army Benin, Edo State, on Friday made some life-changing donations to members of its host communities.

As part of activities marking the 161 anniversary of Nigerian Army, the Brrigade conducted medical outreach to hundreds of residents of Ehor and other neighboring communities in Uhunmwonde local government area of the state.

Writing materials were also donated to some public and private primary schools in Benin City and Ehor town.

The benefiting schools include Aruosa Primary School, Eguade Primary School, Freedom Group of School, Idia Modern Primary School, Odogbo Primary School, Akugbe Primary School and NAOWA Model Nursery and Primary School, Ekehuan Barracks, in Benin city.

Speaking at the event, the Commander of 4 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Ebenezer Oduyebo, noted that the donations were to show the beneficiaries the the Army is not just about violence alone.

“Today is a very, very important day to the Nigerian Army. As you are aware, the Nigerian Army clocks 161 years as an institution. Since then, we have been keeping the peace and ensuring the unity of the country.

“The Chief of Army Staff wants us to show the world that Nigerian Army is not just about violence, we also have the other human aspects of us. That is why we are carrying out educational and medical outreach here today.

“The anniversary programme began nationwide on Friday, June 28. But, for us in Benin, on Tuesday we donated educational materials to students of Western Boys High School in Benin. Yesterday, my wife was at orphanage homes in Benin where she donated food stuffs and other things.

“Tomorrow which will be the grand finale of the anniversary celebration, we will be celebrating the widows of our fallen heroes. We want to show them that their loved ones may no longer be with us, but we have not forgotten them. We will continue to care for them and their children, to complement what the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja is doing,” he said.

Speaking on actuvities of the Army regiment stationed at Ehor, Gen. Oduyebo noted that it has curtailed criminal activities in the axis.

According to him, “Ehor had been the bedrock of crime in the state. We have been trying to curtail cases of kidnapping, robbery and other criminals activities here. We thought that if we could donate these books to the children and the medical outreach, we will further win the hearts of the people and they will have the confidence to share intelligence with us.

“We accept we cannot do it all alone, everybody has a part to play, the children, the adult, everybody has to be carried along.”

In his remarks, the Chairman of Uhunmwonde local government area, Mr. Kenneth Adodo, thanked officers and men of 4 Brigade for the generous donations and medical outreach.

He noted that security has improved tremendously since the deployment of the operatives to the community.