By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has commiserated with the Bayelsa State Government and people over the death of the state’s Deputy Governor, late Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, describing the loss as painful and significant to both the state and the nation.
Lieutenant General Shaibu expressed his condolences on Thursday, 8 January 2026, during a courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, at the Government House in Yenagoa. The visit formed part of the COAS’s maiden operational tour of the 6 Division Area of Responsibility, which includes Bayelsa State. The development was disclosed in an official statement signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele.
The Army Chief urged the government and people of Bayelsa State to continue to uphold the memory of the late Deputy Governor through prayers and sustained support for his family, noting that his passing had left a void that would be deeply felt.
During the visit, Lieutenant General Shaibu commended the Bayelsa State Government for its consistent and unwavering support to Nigerian Army formations in the state, particularly the 16 Brigade. He noted that such cooperation remained critical to enhancing operational effectiveness, improving troop welfare and sustaining security across the state.
He specifically praised Governor Diri for the construction and donation of accommodation facilities for troops of the 16 Brigade, comprising nine units of three-bedroom Senior Non-Commissioned Officers’ quarters and two blocks of nine units of two-bedroom Non-Commissioned Officers’ apartments. The COAS described the intervention as timely and impactful, stressing that the facilities would significantly ease housing challenges faced by personnel, boost morale and enhance operational efficiency.
Lieutenant General Shaibu, who observed notable infrastructural development across Bayelsa State since his last visit about five years ago, assured the Governor of the Nigerian Army’s continued collaboration with the state government in the collective pursuit of peace, security and stability.
In his response, Governor Diri thanked the Chief of Army Staff for the visit and reaffirmed the Bayelsa State Government’s unwavering support for the Nigerian Army and other security agencies operating within the state. He commended the Armed Forces for their sacrifices in safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity, noting that sustained collaboration between the military, security agencies and the state government had played a major role in maintaining the prevailing peace in Bayelsa.
The Governor formally handed over the newly completed accommodation facilities to the Nigerian Army and pledged the continued commitment of his administration to improving the welfare of troops deployed in the state.
The visit further underscored the strong civil-military relations between the Nigerian Army and the Bayelsa State Government, aimed at sustaining peace and enhancing operational effectiveness within the 6 Division Area of Responsibility.
