No fewer
than 23 militants were killed while 38 militant camps and 91 illegal refineries
as well as bunkering sites were destroyed in the just concluded military
exercise in the Niger Delta Region tagged “Crocodile Smile.”
The
General Commanding Officer (GOC) of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army,
Enugu, Major-General Ibrahim Attahiru, said that the exercise was targeted at
restoring peace to the oil rich region.
Addressing
newsmen in Enugu on Saturday, Attahiru disclosed that the Army lost four its
men during the exercise.
He
assured that the formation in Enugu would continue to halt the myriad of
security threats cum economic sabotage within its area of responsibility.
The
GOC, who noted that the Army Division would continue to maintain operational
tempo to consolidate on the gains it achieved during the exercise, reiterated
the resolve to defeat “any attempt at brazen attacks on national critical
infrastructure, oil and gas resources and overall strangulation of the socio-economy
of law abiding citizenry by any group of militants or criminals”.
According
to him, “the Exercise Crocodile smile ended not just as a training exercise but
also as a way of demonstrating the capacity and efficacy of the Nigerian Army
to secure lives and property in the Niger Delta and Southeast Nigeria”.
“Unfortunately
4 among own troops got drowned in the general area of Brass in Bayelsa State
due to a boat mishap while another one was killed in action elsewhere around
Obiozunmini near Obite in Onelga, Rivers State in fire fight with the
criminals/militants”, he stated.
“Most importantly the Division is ever
committed to the strategic direction of the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of
Defence State and the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, he added.
He
recalled that as part of the exercise, the Chief of Army Staff and his
entourage visited the governors, prominent traditional rulers and other
relevant stakeholders in Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers State, stressing that
the Army Division in collaboration and synergy with the Nigerian Navy and
Nigerian Air Force as well as other security agencies remained vital.
A
former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, recently
observed that the Military drill codenamed, “Operation
Crocodile Smile” in the Niger Delta region may jeopardise the ceasefire earlier
announced by militant groups.
.jpeg)
0 Comments