Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has claimed that the previous General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army did not appreciate collaboration between critical stakeholders, especially the State Government in addressing security challenges.
Fubara made this remark when he played host to the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army and Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, South-South, Operation Delta Safe, Major-General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, on courtesy visit to Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Speaking with the GOC, Governor Fubara said that the immediate past GOC refused to have a working relationship with his administration, noting that Rivers State, as the economic strength of Nigeria, places enormous tasks on those saddled with the responsibility to protecting critical national infrastructure.
Fubara stated that the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, has a lot of responsibilities, including protecting all national assets within its jurisdiction, noting that it is difficult to achieve such feat without ensuring that there is peace in the State.
Fubara said: “I am really happy that you are here to do the ritual. Nothing very special. Coming here to see me doesn’t mean that we have any special relationship.
“It is normal, and that is the right thing to do. I need to say this so that, maybe, other persons can also understand.
“We have received the Chief of Army Staff. Very unfortunately, he had passed on. He came here for an assignment, and he visited us.
“But, you won’t believe that the outgone GOC did not come here for one day to see us, at least, not for anything, but to assure us that look, we have a common interest, and we are going to work together.
“Definitely, we are not going to ask him to do anything that is unprofessional, but to have this working relationship, because you need us to succeed, and we also need you to succeed.”
Governor Fubara noted that he appreciated the honour accorded to his administration by the courtesy visit, and promised to provide support within the capacity of government to make sure that the GOC succeeds.
He said, “And, finally, I want to say that our task today is becoming gradually complicated because of the set of people that have chosen to become problem to this country.
“We have issues of pipeline vandalization, destruction of gas and crude oil pipelines. And also, the worst part of it is some persons who have decided to engineer community crisis in most areas of oil operations.
“So, please, while you’re taking that responsibility as part of your assignment, wherever we need to come in, endeavour to reach out to us, so that we can also apply our own mechanism, because when it comes to issues of chieftaincy, it is within our power.
“And when it comes to issues of community relationship, it is also within our power. So, we can join hands together to bring peace in those areas so that operations can also flow smoothly.”
In his speech, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army and Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, South-South, Operation Delta Safe, Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, said recently, there was a change of baton across formations in the Nigerian Army, and he was posted to 6 Division as the General Officer Commanding.
Major General Emekah, stated that having resumed duties on 24th January, 2025, and taken over from his predecessor, who has been reassigned to Abuja, he decided to pay a courtesy visit to formally introduce himself to the Governor.
He said: “My visit here this afternoon is customary in the military, and I believe, in other organizations too, that when you assume Command, you pay courtesy visit to your hosts, political masters, traditional rulers and other stakeholders within your area of responsibility.
“And being the Chief Host of 6 Division, I deemed it very necessary to come here this afternoon to formally introduce myself to you. Also, to thank you for the enabling environment that you have given to the Army to operate in the State.
“And to say that the task of the Division is very easy: It is simple and straight, which is the protection of critical national infrastructure in the maritime and the oil domains, and also to ensure security in the South-South region. I pledge that we will give it our utmost attention to ensure that everything is done as expected.”
