The Nigerian Army on Saturday distributed palliative and rendered free medical outreach to 250 people of Aponmu community in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Brigadier General Zakar Abubakar, Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade, who distributed the items, said the gesture was part of activities lined up by Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Turkur Buratai, for the 2020 Nigerian Army Day Celebration.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the items comprised of rice, semolina, milk, tomato paste, sugar, vegetable oil, face mask as well as drugs for malaria and other common ailments in the communities.
Abubakar said the gesture was also part of civil-military operation of the Nigerian Army.
He said: “The aim is also to touch the community, we are all aware of COVID-19 pandemic, which is touching every part of the world and nowhere is left untouched.
“This pandemic has come with economic hardship.
“However, the COAS in his good leadership and vision decided to send the palliative from Abuja to the good people of Aponmu community.
“This is done so that the community will know that as Nigerians, everybody has equal opportunity no matter where you are located.
“Of course, of what the Chief of Army Staff is giving to you today, in return he wants you to be good citizens of Nigeria by maintaining peace and order.
“We want the community to live in peace, be law abiding and provide all necessary information and intelligence for the military, police and other security agencies to tackle criminals, especially armed robbery incident, that is very common within the state.”
Abubakar, who thanked the community leaders and women for coming out en masse, charged them to follow the guidelines of COVID-19 protocol by washing their hands and wearing of face mask, among others.
Two royal fathers, Chief Adeyemi Obajulaye, the Olu of Aponmu, and Chief Ayodele Joshua, Lisa of Aponmu, appreciated the COAS for remembering the community, especially in view of hardship of COVID 19.
They said: “We give thanks to COAS.
“To even remember us here is a good thing because we never expected what he has done for us today by giving us palliative and free medical outreach for our people, especially our elders.
“We all know now that the Army are friends of people and we promise that if anything goes wrong in our community, we will not hesitate to run to them by informing them.”
Also, Comfort Adewonmi, an 80-year-old woman who was given special palliative and sum of N20,000, appreciated the COAS and the Army for the gesture.
Adewonmi said: “I pray today that God will fight for you and remember you with good things.
“This palliative and money will go along way in my life and it will help me meet my needs.”