The Nigerian Army has dismissed as misleading and malicious a report alleging that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, raised alarm over rising cases of pipeline vandalism during his recent visit to the 6 Division in Port Harcourt.
The Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, made this known in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, describing the report published by an online medium as a gross misrepresentation of facts.
Anele clarified that during the COAS’ address to troops at the 6 Division on Jan. 9, he neither expressed concern nor raised any alarm over alleged increases in pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.
According to her, the army chief emphasised the importance of the division’s mandate to protect critical national infrastructure, stressing that effective execution of the task would positively impact the nation’s economy.
“Your job here is very key to protecting critical national infrastructure, and once you do that job very well, it will impact positively on the economy of the country,” the COAS was quoted as saying.
She said Shaibu urged troops to remain disciplined, committed and dedicated, assuring them that their welfare remained a top priority under his command philosophy.
Anele disclosed that the COAS approved immediate measures to address challenges raised by commanders, including the construction of additional accommodation, renovation of existing quarters and completion of ongoing projects to ease accommodation constraints.
She added that the army chief also assured personnel that issues relating to quality education for their children were being addressed, while encouraging them to carry out their duties conscientiously.
According to her, while responding to journalists, Shaibu explained that his visit was part of routine operational tours aimed at interacting with officers and men, assessing combat readiness and identifying challenges for prompt solutions.
Anele stressed that security indicators on ground showed commendable efforts by troops and other security agencies in curbing oil theft and pipeline vandalism, leading to improved stability and sustained exploration activities in the oil and gas sector.
She urged media organisations to verify facts before publication and called on the public to disregard reports aimed at undermining security efforts in the Niger Delta.
She also appealed to residents of the region to continue providing credible intelligence on the activities of economic saboteurs to security agencies for prompt response.