The Nigerian Navy on Tuesday commissioned nine boreholes and Dikam Dungku community health post at Fungzai, Bwai District of Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State, under the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Special Quick Impact Projects, facilitated in honour of Rear Admiral Habila Dunku Zakaria.
The projects, inaugurated on December 23, 2025, are designed to provide potable water and basic healthcare services to Fungzai and eight other beneficiary communities—Ser, Mpil, Nanbum, Kubon, Dungpet, Dung’kyam, Kubat, and Timnanle.
Speaking at the event, the Project Facilitator, Rear Admiral Habila Dunku Zakaria, Director of Transformation at the Defence Headquarters, described the initiative as more than the commissioning of physical structures, but a step towards securing the health, dignity and wellbeing of rural communities, particularly women, children and the elderly.
According to him, the boreholes will ensure access to clean drinking water, while the community health post will serve as a first line of defence for disease prevention, health education, routine check-ups and treatment of common ailments such as malaria, as well as immunisation services for children.
Rear Admiral Zakaria explained that the intervention was part of the CNS Quick Impact Project aimed at strengthening civil–military cooperation and winning the hearts and minds of host communities. He urged residents to take ownership of the facilities by protecting them against vandalism and ensuring proper use, while charging health workers posted to the centre to serve with empathy, professionalism and commitment.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, represented by the Chief of Naval Engineering, Rear Admiral Nan’manle Dangton, said the project reflected the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to community development beyond its core security responsibilities. He noted that the Quick Impact Projects, introduced in 2024, align with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Navy’s civil–military cooperation mandate.
He commended Rear Admiral Zakaria for giving back to his community and urged beneficiaries to use and maintain the facilities responsibly. Rear Admiral Dangton thereafter led the ribbon-cutting and formally commissioned the boreholes and health post.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division and Commander, Operation Enduring Peace, represented by the Sector 8 Commander, Mangu General Area, Colonel Oluwaseyi S. Fagbemi, described the project as a non-kinetic approach to peacebuilding. He donated medical supplies to the health post to support healthcare delivery for children and elderly residents.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Mangu Local Government Area, Hon. Emmanuel Bala Mwolpun, represented by Councillor Iliya Lemun of Kabon Community, expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Navy and the facilitator, describing the intervention as unprecedented in the area’s history. He assured that the local government and beneficiary communities would ensure the sustainability and security of the projects.
Testimonies from village heads underscored the impact of the intervention. The Village Head of Mpil, Da Inusa Dapan, said his community benefited four boreholes, ending years of water scarcity, while the Village Head of Fungzai, Philemon Dampel, disclosed that the community received two boreholes in addition to previous support from Rear Admiral Zakaria, including repairs to existing facilities and medical assistance.
Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director of Nanret Ji Bethel Hospital, Mangu, Dr. Caleb Daburum, highlighted the health benefits of clean water and the importance of utilising the health post for early treatment and referrals.
The Chairman of the Regional Church Council (RCC), Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Rev. Jacob Irmiya Dashop, offered special prayers, commending the facilitator for selfless service to humanity, while urging leaders to emulate such acts of compassion.
Delivering the vote of thanks, His Royal Highness, Da Gabriel Gushaar, the Mishkaham District Head of Bwai, representing the Mishkaham Mwaghavul Traditional Council, appreciated the Nigerian Navy, security agencies and the facilitator for their support and commitment to peace and development in the area.
The event also featured symbolic gestures and cultural displays marking the significance of the intervention. The representative of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Nan’manle Dangton, and the project facilitator, Rear Admiral Habila Dunku Zakaria, were decorated by the Mishkaham District Head of Bwai and the representative of the Mangu Local Government Chairman respectively, in appreciation of their contributions to the development of the communities.
In addition, Rear Admiral Dangton, on behalf of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, presented an award plaque to His Royal Highness, Da Gabriel Gushaar, the Mishkaham of Bwai, in recognition of the successful execution of the project in his domain and the community’s support. The ceremony was further enlivened by traditional dance performances by community members in celebration of the intervention.
The ceremony was attended by senior military officers, traditional rulers, religious leaders, representatives of the Naval Officers’ Wives Association (NOWA), family members of the facilitator, community members, and the media.
