The Commanding Officer, Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, FOB, Igbokoda, Navy Captain Wasuku Alushi, has stated that the issue of national security is multifaceted and does not require only the application of military force.
According to the commanding officer, human security can also be assessed and addressed through environmental and health security.
Alushi disclosed this when operatives of the base, in collaboration with members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, representatives of some non-governmental organisations, NGOs, and other participants of the host community, cleared drainages and evacuated refuse dumps in Igbokoda and its environs.
Alushi, who led the exercise tagged “Clean up Igbokoda,” stated that the exercise was part of the social responsibilities of the military in ensuring a clean environment.
“It wasn’t the first time the base engaged the host community. The exercise is routine and geared towards relating with the civil population more closely in a more beneficial way.
“It aligns with current strategic military thinking in the country, where emphasis is on population security.
“The clean-up exercise falls under the concept of a civil-military corporation, which encompasses military support for the environment, either by providing services or some forms of expertise that will benefit the populace, ” he said.
Navy advocates community engagement in national security
