Nigerian Army Celebrates 161st Anniversary by Supporting Zamfara Orphans

The Nigerian Army marked their 161st anniversary over the weekend with children who lost their parents in the fight against terrorism in Zamfara State.

The brigade's spokesperson Lieutenant Suleiman Omale mentioned that the event honored the memory of the fallen heroes, revealing that the army distributed medical supplies, school supplies like pens and paper, clothes and shoes to orphans, underprivileged individuals and others in need across the state.

The Brigade Commander General Sani Ahmed led the distribution of the materials to emphasize the army's commitment to working closely with civilians.

"This initiative is part of the Army's ongoing efforts to support the civil community in various ways, promoting goodwill and strengthening relationships," the brigade's spokesperson said, Premium Times reported.

"The distribution reached approximately 400 orphans and needy individuals, alongside the provision of exercise books, pencils, and pens to Students and Pupils across Eleven Primary and Secondary Schools in the Gusau metropolitan area."

He mentioned that the army has also been helping rural areas, but this event specifically focused on Gusau, the capital of the state.

The Brigade Commander used the occasion to ask the local community to stop supporting bandits by informing them about military operations. Instead, he urged these individuals to change their ways and surrender their weapons to help bring peace back to the state.

Brigadier General Ahmed expressed his concern about the activities of bandits in the state, assuring that soldiers were working hard to allow farmers to grow and harvest their crops without interruption, which would ensure food security and economic growth.

Earlier, the brigade distributed medical supplies to the 14 local government areas under its responsibility. Furthermore, the Nigerian Army also gave specially designed notebooks to students in 11 schools in Gusau.

Zamfara, like many states in the troubled North-west region, has faced a violent armed conflict lasting a decade, leading to the deaths of thousands.

From 2011 to 2019, terrorists in Zamfara received over N3 billion in ransom from the 3,672 people they kidnapped, as per a report commissioned by the state government.

Last week, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim of Ondo South Senatorial District urged the Nigerian military to use advanced technology to fight crime rather than deploying more officers to such locations.