The Nigerian Army has said that its recent security exercise tagged, Operation Python Dance, in South-East was a huge success, insisting that it denied miscreants and criminals, freedom to act and molest the people.
The Army also said the exercise brought peace, law and order as well as secured environments in the entire South Eastern states.
In a statement to evaluate the exercise, the Army said the exercise was successful such that “most of the security challenges, such as intra and inter communal crisis, farmer-herdsmen clashes, kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism as well as trading in human beings in the region, were grossly reduced to the barest minimum.”
According to Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, “due to intensity of patrols, road blocks, raids and other activities in the Military Line of Operation, miscreants and criminals were denied freedom of action.
“As a result, most of the criminal elements fizzled out of the region into neighbouring Delta and Rivers states. This accounted for peace, law and order as well as secured environment in the entire South Eastern states.
“Also, most of the security challenges such as intra and inter communal crisis, farmer-herdsmen clashes, kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism as well as ‘trading in human beings’ in the region were grossly reduced to the barest minimum. These menaces are and have been the focus and targets of this exercise and have so far been effectively achieved.
“Similarly, violent secessionist agitators and related divisive irredentist groups were silently suppressed. Consequently, the region was stabilized, with an increased level of free movements and a boost to economic and social activities.”
Sagir explained that the exercise also effectively reduced “the annual gridlock on the Niger Bridge at Onitsha. The yearly sufferings, inconveniencies and insecurity arising from traffic jam on the Asaba-Onitsha axis of the bridge were curtailed. Seamless flow of traffic was achieved by our troops working in synergy with the Federal Road Safety Commission and the Nigeria Police Force.”
“Above all, Federal Road Safety Commission available Road Traffic Accident Statistics in the entire region present a significant reduction occasioned by the strength of road blocks, check points and patrols during the period.
“Equally important is that the exercise has further raised the image and reputation of the Nigerian Army in its struggles to end insurgency, crimes and criminalities across the nation. Here further lies the beauty of the pragmatic approach to Internal Security Operation in Nigeria”, Sagir noted.
Source: Vanguard
