Succor for Oshodi Community
Chiemelie Ezeobi As part of activities to mark its 51th anniversary, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Logistics Command, Ikeja, Lagos, recently gave free medical treatment to over 2000 residents within the Osodi/ Isolo Local Government Area.
The medical personnel led by the Commander, NAF 445 Reference Hospital, Air Commodore Olufemi Olutoye, treated the community members pro bono, as well as distributed over 1000 mosquito nets and free drugs.
At the expanse of land used for the tests, there were stands for eye tests, dental, HIV/AIDS, malaria, maternal health, high blood pressure and blood sugar, amongst several others.
However, the medical rhapsody was heralded by a sanitation exercise, which was carried out by officers and men of the command at Old Ewu road, Mafoluku.
Commander, National Air Defence Corps, Air Vice Marshal Ben Chiobi and other senior officials later accompanied the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Logistic Command, Air Vice Marshal Abdullahi Shehu, to the venue.
In an interview afterwards with journalists, Shehu said the gesture was in line with the annual tradition of reaching out to their host communities as part of their civil-military relations.
He said, “We are here to extend our hands of friendship to the communities that live with us. This is a yearly event and what you are witnessing today is part of the series of event lined up to celebrate our 51st anniversary.
"As you know they say charity begins at home. So what we are doing here, we are doing it for the community that is our immediate neighbouring community to be able to help in environmental sanitation, assist with medicals.
“All this is with a view to enhance our civil-military relation. We are grateful to the local government chairman who is our host and members of the community for what they have been doing.
"They have been there in terms of support, in terms of sharing information for the betterment of security within the community and also within the NAF ikeja.
We feel highly honoured to serve our community."
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary Oshodi/Isolo Local Government, Adeola Olajobi, while commending the force, urged them to sustain the tempo annually.
He explained that the community was chosen among several others under the local government for the free medical treatment owing to its densely populated nature.
He also said the local government would build on where the Air Force stopped during the sanitation exercise by reconstructing the road.
He expressed optimism that the relationship would be sustained because of the gains of the symbiotic relationship, particularly in the area of security.