BEVERLY HILLS, January 15, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Army has hailed its recent security exercise in the Southeast, codenamed; Operation Python Dance, as a huge success, stressing that it did not allow miscreants and criminals, freedom to act and molest the people.
In a statement issued to evaluate the exercise, the Army also stated that the Operation Python Dance brought peace, law and order as well as secured environments in the entire states of the Southeast.
Recall that in an apparent move to counter Operation Python Dance declared by Army in the Southeast geopolitical zone, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, early last month launched what it called: Operation David Dance.
The seperatist group called on all the people of the Southeast and IPOB members “to be sure they don’t fall victim in the hands of soldiers called Operation Python Dance,” assuring that God would not permit the extermination of its members because they were innocuous in their struggle.
The Army however maintained that 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.”
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, who issued the statement, asserted that “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.”
Musa 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,” Musa noted.
