At least 3,000 soldiers
have so far been deployed in the Niger Delta as Nigeria's security agencies
ramp up the war against militancy in the region, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.
Gen. Tukur Buratai, disclosed on Tuesday.
This came as Niger Delta
Avengers (NDA) on Tuesday alleged an attempt by the military to cover up the
death of 16 soldiers in Delta State, four days after 'Operation Crocodile Smile.'
was launched in the region.
The army chief spoke in
Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, just as the military moved to douse the tension
occasioned by the massive movement of troops in the region, assuring
communities in the area that the ongoing military exercise codenamed,
'Operation Crocodile Smile,' was designed to protect them.
Buratai's comments
yesterday were made against the backdrop of allegations that the military had
embarked on harassing and brutalising innocent residents along the coastlines,
an accusation that the security forces have always refuted.
The COAS, who spoke at
the Government House when he visited Governor Seriake Dickson, told the
communities to remain calm, stressing that troops involved in the exercise
understood the rules of engagement and would strictly adhere to them.
He added that the visit
was necessary as part of the operation's confidence-building, maintaining that the
current exercise was meant to equip the soldiers with required skills to ensure
the safety of the maritime environment for Bayelsa and other states of the
Niger Delta.
The army chief, who was
accompanied by other military commanders including the Commander, Joint Task
Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Joseph Okojie, said the
exercise was part of the amphibious training activities of the military.
"I am leading a
cream of delegation of the Nigeria Army as part of our amphibious training
(Operation Crocodile) activities in making sure the maritime environment is
safe for Bayelsans and Nigeria at large.
"The exercise has
mustered about three thousand troops and equipment, yet we want to assure you
that we are people-friendly. We want to appreciate the support you have given
to the Nigerian Army," he said.
He added that the
military remained committed to the protection of the country's territorial
integrity from external aggressors, stressing that the Atlantic Ocean remains
part of the territory that must be secured and protected from interferences.
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