The Nigerian Army says its 3 major exercises flagged off by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, have recorded commendable successes so far during operations.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the ongoing end-of-year exercises: Operations STILL WATERS, ENDURING PEACE and GOLDEN DAWN III at the Army Headquarters, Abuja on Wednesday, November 29, 2023.
It would be recalled that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, on 9 October 2023 flagged off Exercises STILL WATERS, ENDURING PEACE and GOLDEN DAWN in the South-South, South-West, North-Central and South-East geopolitical zones, respectively, covering 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
General Nwachukwu, who said the exercises are to checkmate all forms of crimes during the Yuletide season, disclosed that troops with an offensive posture during the conduct of several kinetic and non-kinetic operations in the forms of raids on criminal hideouts recorded significant successes in each of the 3 operations.
The troops of Guards Brigade in concert with other security agencies on Exercises ENDURING PEACE III in the North Central conducted a raid operation at a suspected criminal hideout in Kuje, Federal Capital Territory, arresting 3 suspects and recovering one motorcycle, 12 bundles of stolen cable wires, 30 cards of illicit drugs and wraps of substances suspected to be cannabis.
The troops of 3 Division Nigerian Army, raided a suspected weapon fabrication factory at Vom village in Jos South local government area of Plateau State, arresting 2 suspects and recovering 6 fabricated AK 47 Rifles, one fabricated pistol and 11 rifles.
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The troops of 9 Brigade Nigerian Army in conjunction with personnel of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, South West, in conduct of EXERCISE STILL WATERS III at a suspected criminal hideout at Ifako Ijaye, arrested 50 suspects, including foreigners who specialize in international job racketeering.
The troops also arrested 2 suspects at a hotel in Ogba in Ikeja local government area in connection with the murder of one Mallam Idris Ardo, the Ardo of Panya Village in Plateau State.
The troops of 4 Brigade Nigerian Army in the South, while on patrol to Obagie Nevbosa and Amagba communities arrested 2 suspected criminals at Okunswa Bana Junction in Ikpoba Ohja local government area of Edo State. Items recovered included one magnum pump action gun, one live cartridge and 3 mobile phones.
The troops of 63 Brigade Garrison in response to a distress call at Oshimili South local government area of Delta State thwarted a robbery incident, arresting 3 suspects and recovering one pistol, 2 rounds of 9mm ammunition and knives.
The troops of 82 Division Nigerian Army while conducting EXERCISE GOLDEN DAWN III, in conjunction with other security agencies, carried out a fighting patrol to suspected IPOB/ESN enclaves around Onicha Igbeeze at Abakaliki local government area of Ebonyi State.
Troops in that operation arrested 2 suspected criminals, recovered 2 pistol guns, 179 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunitions, 25 live cartridges, 3 AK 47 rifle magazine, one dane gun, one digital camera, a detonating cord, 57 water gel explosives and one bag of plastic explosive.
“The troops of 34 Artillery Brigade in conjunction with other security agencies conducted a fighting patrol to notorious IPOB/ESN criminals’ camps at UMAWIBI, UMULOLO, UMUKELE, AMANU and AGBUBO axis in OKIGWE local government area.
“Troops neutralized one of the criminals after making contact with IPOB/ESN criminals around the general area while others fled.
“The COAS commends troops for the modest successes recorded so far and urges them to sustain the tempo in order to decisively curtail the activities of criminals across the country.
“The Nigerian Army further urges law-abiding citizens to take ownership of the ongoing exercises and volunteer useful and actionable information to security agencies,” General Nwachukwu said.
