Army War College Participants Visit Land Component, Operation Delta Safe, Traverse Niger Delta Creeks

Army War College Participants Visit Land Component, Operation Delta Safe, Traverse Niger Delta Creeks

The participants of Course 9/2025 from the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN), paid an operational visit to Headquarters, 6 Division, Nigerian Army/Land Component, Joint Task Force (JTF) South South (SS), Operation DELTA SAFE (OPDS), in Port Harcourt Barracks. The team, led by Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, who is the Director, Research Development and Linkages, emphasized the significance of the visit to the participants. They also toured the challenging operational terrain of the Niger Delta Region (NDR), particularly the creeks around Akuku-Toru Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State.

The team was received at the Headquarters, Land Component, by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army and Land Component Commander (LCC), JTF SS OPDS, Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, who welcomed them to Port Harcourt. He reaffirmed the importance of their visit to the theatre of operations, stressing that it was an avenue for them to gain firsthand information and knowledge of the operational activities of the Land Component. He added that their presence would be of immense benefit to them in the course of their training and military careers. The GOC/LCC, also enjoined them to scrutinise the Land Component’s concept of operations and make inputs that would enhance the conduct of operations.

The participants also held an interactive session with the Commander, JTF SS OPDS, represented by his Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Umar Gital Yusuf, who briefed them on the operational disposition of OPDS, including its challenges and achievements. Additional briefs were presented by the Land, Maritime, and Air Components, which clarified gray areas and deepened the participants’ understanding on riverine operations.

They were later taken on a guided tour of selected creeks around Akuku-Toru LGA. The Commandant of AWCN, Major General Umar Mohammed Alkali, led the team, and they were received on arrival by the Commanding Officer, 103 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Waheed Shittu. The tour afforded them firsthand insight into the dynamics of anti-oil theft operations and the operational strides recorded by troops in the region. The visit saw them traverse the creeks under Sector 3, OPDS, thereby broadening their perspective on riverine operations.

The visit concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by one of the participants, Colonel Philimon Malgwi, who described the briefings as informative, insightful, and well packaged. He noted that the exposure had enlightened them on the peculiarities of operations in the Niger Delta Region, and expressed confidence that the knowledge gained would assist them in wargaming, identifying gaps, and making recommendations to enhance operations.