Army goes on offensive, begins 3 special exercises to clear insecurity in southeast, south-south, north central

The Nigeria Army on Tuesday went on the offensive, commencing three special military operations in the Southeast, South-South, Southwest and North Central, to clear the zones of prevalent insecurity.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya, flagging-off the exercises at the Nigeria Army 6 Division Step-up Headquarters in Ahoada, Rivers State, said that the exercises code-named Exercise Golden Dawn  in the Southeast, Exercise Enduring Peace in the North Central, and Exercise Still Waters in the South-South and South West, would complement ongoing security operations in the zones.

Gen. Yahaya said that the operations were specifically set up to meet the unique security challenges in the various geopolitical zones.

The Chief of army Staff highlighted: “The exercise will involve all security agencies, so that we can effectively defeat the threats across the zones.

“Each of the exercises will address security challenges peculiar and unique to the areas of responsibility.

“The exercise here will, among other things, address the issues of oil theft which has become an enigma here.”

He added that the operations would also contain other security challenges like banditry, cultism and kidnapping in the four zones.

According to General Yahaya, “The troops will be deplored in areas where they operate. Considering that they have knowledge of the area, they will be better placed to address the security issues.

“The ones here are better placed to know the creeks where oil theft takes place, and deal with them decisively.

“At the end of the exercises, we hope to have set conditions for a more peaceful atmosphere for the conduct of 2023 elections.”

The Chief of Army Operations, Major-General Tunde Akinjobi, emphasized that the exercises would involve both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to effectively check crime and criminality in the areas.

He said that Exercise Enduring Peace would operate from headquarter commands in Benue, Kogi and Nasarawa states as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

“Exercise Golden Dawn under 82 Division will cover Abia  Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.

“Exercise Still Waters will be conducted within 2, 6 and 81 Divisions covering Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Edo, Delta, Lagos, Ogun and Rivers states.

“All participating formations have been involved in series of participatory activities which culminated in the tactical exercises with our troops,” the COAS said.