The Operation Crocodile Smile 111, Wednesday, showed the public that it combines curbing criminality in the Niger Delta region with philanthropic gesture in fostering military-civil relationship in its immediate community.
Speaking during the presentation of food items and other materials to inmates of Mother Charles Children Home in Uyo, Brig.-Gen. Abdu Hassan, the Commander of the Nigerian Army, 2 Brigade Headquarters, said the donation was part of the military-civil relationship to contribute to the community where they operate.
Hassan said since the official launching of the operation in 2016, it has been able to flush out criminals and other bad elements from the Niger Delta region.
He said that the military would continue to cooperate with the civil society in the discharge of their constitutional duties to assuage the fear that the military were known for only war.
“As part of activities marking Operation Crocodile Smile 2018 and as part of our civil military responsibility, we deem it fit to come here so that we can touch the life of these young, beautiful children.
“Implant in their little minds that the military is not about war but the military is also agent that builds, cooperates with the civil society.
“The operation crocodile smile has actually flushed out miscreants from the society to allow our young ones to go to school unhindered, the whole essence is to ensure the waterways in the Niger Delta Region is free from militancy.”
The commander urged the official of the home to continue with their good works as the Nigerian army was highly impressed by their humanitarian gestures.
He charged the children to be undeterred by their present situation but to remain obedient to their teachers and caregivers, give them their due respect as they could achieve what God has ordained for them.
Earlier, Rev. Sister Maltida Inyang, the Coordinator of the home, had said the 150 inmates have so far passed through the home through its humanitarian services.
Inyang stated that some of the children have passed from nursery to secondary schools and were in dire need of sponsors to progress in their education.
The home coordinator said some of the children came to the home with very bad mal-nutrition but had improved tremendously in their growth.
She stated that about 12 sisters were those taking care of the children including a 82-year- old woman, sister Juliana Ekerete, who take the children as their own.
The Rev. Sister thanked the Nigerian Army for putting smiles on the faces of the children for their kind gesture and urged other organisations to emulate the army.
Our correspondent reports that highpoint was the presentation of the items included: mattresses, pillows, bags of salt, sugar, cartons of vegetable oil, cartons of indomie, cartons of tomato paste, detergent and bathing soaps, among others.
