Soldiers from the 35 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Alamala, on Tuesday, carried out an environmental sanitation exercise along Lafenwa-Rounder road in Abeokuta North Local Government area of Ogun State.
The exercise was part of the activities marking the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL).
The soldiers temporarily dropped their guns for sanitation equipment like brooms, shovels, rakes and head pans and swept the road alongside some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
They cleared garbage which littered the road and filled some bad portions of the road with stones.
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The Commander, 35 Artillery Brigade Alamala, Brig. Gen. Muhammed Aminu told newsmen that the army always identified with its immediate environment during the celebration.
Aminu, represented by the Garrison Commander, 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Col. Legborsi Nule, noted that it was important to breach the gap between the army and its host community.
He said, “We use the celebration to reach out to our immediate environment, our host communities to render services to them so that they will understand that the Nigerian army is not all about fighting war and battles but also to offer services and utilities.
“We are here today to do part of that which is offering services to the community. Over the years, there has been a gap between the army and its immediate environment but when we do activities like this, it is a message to the people that we are part of the government to build the society and let people know that we are here as part of them, we are here as brothers and sisters.”
Aminu stated that NADCEL was also an opportunity to remember the personnel that had paid the supreme sacrifice in the cause of their duty.
A resident, Debo Johnson, described the gesture as an avenue to develop a mutual relationship between the army and civilians.
Johnson called on other security agencies to emulate the selfless services rendered by the army.
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