By Victor Akaa, Abuja.
The Chief of Army Staff, (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has promised to assist the Exxon Mobil company to install the ‘safety chamber flight’ to curb the incidences of accident discharge of its personnel in the Niger delta region during the operations.
Buratai stated this during his interaction with the 3 man delegation of the company headed by Mr. Ide Owodiong-Idemeko who is the senior Manager of the company in Army headquarters ,Abuja.
Incident discharge, according to Buratai is not synonymous with the Nigerian Army.
Represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, NA,Lt. Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, the army boss further explained that, Nigerian army in the course of its operation, comply with rules of engagement given room for no such cases of accidental discharge as it’s known in other security agencies.
According to COAS, if by human error such cases arise, the Nigerian Army will not hesitate to take a drastic measures to sanction the officer involved with the given guidelines of the NA.
According to him, Nigerian army officers and men do undergo vigorous training to avoid the occurrence of such incidents during the professional operations and conduct.
He therefore assured that all the commanders on ground will be given the necessary instructions on how to operate to maintain the safety of the community ,the Oxxon Mobil and all other oil companies operating in the zone.
He therefore thanked the delegation for the existing collaboration which he then promised must be maintained and enhanced for the benefit of the NA and the company.
Earlier in his speech, the company’s Senior Manager, Ide Owidiong-Idemeko said, one of the indices that made the company attained its fit today is the safety operations the company enjoyed from the Nigerian army.
Owidiong-Idemeko noted that, the collaboration of the company with the NA has also helped the company to achieve a greater success most especially in Akwa Ibom state and prayed for its sustenance.
The Senior Manager therefore said to further strengthen the relationship, as well as reduce the incidences of accidental discharge and improve on their safety most especially the officers that are deployed to protect the company, the company thought it wise to introduce the ‘safety chamber flight’
He said this if well appraised and implemented, it will better enhanced the co-operation between the NA and the company for optimum performance.
