By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Nigerian Army (NA), has pledged to rid southeast of the menace of unknown gunmen, as well as other criminal elements to restore the needed environment for harmonious existence and economic prosperity.
The Service also disclosed that its troops deployed to Exercise Enduring Peace, and Golden Dawn raided and destroyed weapon, and Improvise Explosive Device Fabrication Complex in different locations.
Nigerian Army, equally assured Ndigbo within and outside the country, who are willing to travel home for Christmas, of adequate security within the festive period.
Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, made this disclosure, while briefing Defence Correspondent on the modest achievements of the Nigerian Army ongoing exercises across the federation.
The Exercises which, were flagged off by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, on 9 October 2023, include, Exercise Still Waters, Enduring Peace and Golden Dawn.
While responding to question on the state of security in southeast, ahead of the festive period, General Nwachukwu said: “In the Southeast, we have joint task force, code named operation Udoka. It is commanded by a Major General, the General Officer Commanding 82 Division. The task force has various components, the Army, Navy and Air Force, the Police Force and other security agencies”.
He added that the Nigerian Army, the sister services, the police and other security agencies, have given the assurance that they will dominate all hot spots in the southeast.
“We are also assuring those coming back home of our presence. The armed forces and other security agencies in the southeast will ensure that people continue to go about their legitimate businesses. There is no doubt that we have occasional and isolated cases where these criminals hit soft targets to make themselves relevant. But the fact remains that security in the southeast is better than than what it use to be. You can even see that a number of them are even making moves now to identify with the good things happening in the southeast, as well as drop their agitations. I assure the good people of the southeast that the security forces will dominate the southeast. Law abiding citizens would have no reasons to fear or be apprehensive. Those in diaspora have no reasons to fear coming back home to celebrate the festivities with their loved ones. The only caution we need to give is that there is no absolute security anywhere. Therefore, we must be vigilant, we must be mentally alert and we must be careful with the things we do. This advise is very important and it is only reasonable for law abiding citizens to just stick to them,” he noted.
While noting that several criminal elements were killed and others arrested within the period, General Nwachukwu said, the troops of Guards Brigade mounting a check point at Abaji in FCT, on 20 November 2023, arrested one Abdullahi Lawal conveying pairs of Strike Force bullet-proof plates and four locally made grenades.
The Army Spokesperson, said that the arrested criminal is currently undergoing investigation to unravel the source of the security materials.
On the weapon fabrication factories, he explained: “On 25 November 2023, troops of OPSH raided a suspected arm
fabricating factory at BAN Village, HEIPANG District in Barkin Ladi
LGA and arrested 5 suspects. They recovered one fabricated Rifle,
one SMG, one fabricated pistol, seven unfinished fabricated rifles, six
rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, one lister generator, fabricating tools, military kits, four mobile phones and the sum of Forty -Three Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ninety Naira (N43,890.00) only”.
General Nwachukwu revealed that troops also cleared several IPOB/ESN camps and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) factories where fresh signs of IPOB/ESN criminals’ activities were evident and production of IEDs were ongoing.
He said that all the camps, hideouts and IED factories, were destroyed.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, applauded troops for the modest successes recorded so far and urged them to sustain the tempo in order to decisively curtail the activities of criminals across the country.
Troops, he concluded are also encouraged to remain professional, vigilant and exhibit utmost respect for Human Right of citizens in their respective Areas of Responsibilities.
