The Nigerian Army has dismissed insinuations that the current exercise in the South East is targeted at militarily occupying the region.
Nigerian Army spokesman, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, gave this clarification in a briefing on Monday at the AHQ Conference Room in Abuja.
‘Before we proceed with the press briefing, it is crucial to dispel the unfounded narrative that the ongoing exercises are aimed at the military occupation of the South East,’ he added.
‘Contrary to this insinuation, the deployment of troops of the Nigerian Army is not only in South East Nigeria but also in the troubled parts of the country, particularly in the North West and North Eastern Nigeria where troops are conducting major operations to tackle more threatening national security challenges.’
He recalled that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya had on October 4th, 2021, flagged off military exercises across four regions of the country, explaining that they were taking place in 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
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‘Furthermore, these exercises are traditionally scheduled to hold in the last quarter of the year to checkmate all forms of crimes as the yuletide approaches,’ he said, adding that the exercises have recorded massive successes across the nation.
Brigadier General Onyema quoted the COAS as lauding the troops for the successes recorded so far in the exercises and called on them to keep the tempo.
‘Troops are also encouraged to remain professional, vigilant, and exhibit utmost respect for the human rights of citizens in their respective areas of responsibilities,” Onyema further added in a statement made available to Africa Daily News, New York after the briefing.
‘The Nigerian Army urges law-abiding citizens to take ownership of the ongoing exercises and volunteer useful actionable information to security agencies.’
According to him, the exercise has also experienced a non-kinetic line of operation with the Army offering free medical services to host communities.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
