As some groups within the South-East have continued to condemn the new military operation launched in the zone, which was code-named ‘Operation Python Dance,’ the Nigerian Army has explained that the military exercise will be in the overall interest of the people.
This is as the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has described it as a plot to annihilate the Igbos.
But in a statement made available to DAILY POST by Colonel Sagir Musa, Deputy Director Army Public Relations, 82 Div., Enugu, he said the new operation would benefit the people of South-East in the area of healthcare, security, among others.
The statement reads in full:
“The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Conference 2016 is scheduled for 4 – 10 December 2016 at Owerri, Imo State. The Conference will afford participants the opportunity to appraise training and operational activities of the Nigerian Army for the Year 2016, and make projections for the Year 2017.
“The culminating point for this year’s Training Directive will be the conduct of a Field Training Exercise.
“It would be recalled that the COAS having painstakingly appraised the myriad of security challenges and scenarios across the Country directed on the conduct of both Command Post and Field Training Exercises as way of enhancing troops preparedness across the spectrum of contemporary challenges.
“In response to this directives, Army Headquarters directed the conduct of Field Training Exercises for different regions as such. For instance, EX SHIRIN HARBI was conducted from 17 – 19 April 2016 in 3 Division Area of Responsibility (AOR) to take care of the insurgency and sundry crimes such as cattle rustling in parts of the North East Region.
“In the same vein, EX HARBIN KUNAMA was held in 1 Division AOR from 9 – 15 July 2016 to rid the general area of North West Region of banditry, insurgency and cattle rustling among others.
Also, EX CROCODILE SMILE was conducted from 5 – 10 September 2016 in the Niger Delta Region by a combination of 2 and 82 Divisions with an overarching aim of reducing incidences of illegal bunkering, oil thefts, piracy and other peculiar criminalities across the entire Region.
“Similarly, EX PYTHON DANCE has been planned for the South East Region from 27 November – 27 December 2016. The prevalent security issues such as armed robbery, kidnapping, abduction, herdsmen-farmers clashes, communal clashes and violent secessionist attacks among others would be targeted.
In this wise, the Exercise would be multi-agency in nature whereby the NA and other security agencies are expected to synergize and collaborate extensively.
“Above all, an elaborate Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) Line of Operation has been planned during the Exercise. Interestingly, Nigerian Army Corps and Services would conduct activities such as medical outreach, repairs of roads, schools and other infrastructure across the South East Region.
“The COAS has therefore directed that a contingent of durable mechanism be imbued in the overall planning as well as execution of the Exercise, to achieve a hitch free yuletide for the entire Region.
Be rest assured of the goodwill and kind gesture of the COAS.”
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