The Nigerian Army says “Exercise Egwu Eke”, also known as “Operation Python Dance”, will be conducted annually in the South-East region.
Army noted that the exercise was not targeted at any individual or group and urged Nigerians in the region to go about their normal businesses without fear.
“Please note, Exercise Egwu Eke (Python Dance) II, is now a scheduled Nigerian Army exercise to be conducted annually in the South-East region,” the Deputy Director of Public Relations, 82 Division Nigerian Army, Colonel Sagir Musa, said in a statement on Sunday.
“Exercise Egwu Eke, which started fully on the 15 September to 14 October 2017, is a normal routine Nigerian Army Field Training Exercise meant to sharpen the skills of the participating troops in the conduct of Internal Security Operations.”
The Army explained further that the exercise was aimed at combating the identified obvious security challenges in the South-East and to deal with the rising cases of insecurity such as kidnappings, farmers-herdsmen clashes, secessionist agitations and insurgency of any form among others.
“For emphasis, it is necessary to restate that the exercise and similar ones with different code names in some parts of the country were deliberately initiated and conducted with an overarching aim of checkmating identified security challenges prevalent in the regions where they were carried out.”
The Army explained further that the exercise was aimed at combating the identified obvious security challenges in the South-East, and to deal with the rising cases of insecurity such as kidnappings, farmers-herdsmen clashes, secessionist agitations and insurgency of any form among others.
“For emphasis, it is necessary to restate that the exercise and similar ones with different code names in some parts of the country were deliberately initiated and conducted with an overarching aim of checkmating identified security challenges prevalent in the regions where they were carried out.”
According to them, the first “Exercise Python Dance” was successfully and commendably conducted in the region from 27 November – 27 December 2016.
The Army noted that the exercise was fruitful then as its focus and targets – such as abductions, armed robbery and traffic gridlock at the Asaba-Onitsha Bridge among others – were successfully addressed.
They insisted that the concept of the current Exercise, like the previous one, was purely “Command Post, Field Training and Real-Time Exercise.”
“It is aimed to enhance troops’ agility and preparedness across the spectrum of contemporary and emerging security threats peculiar to South Eastern region.
“The Exercise is three in one, in that – it was – deliberately designed as a – Command Post Exercise that transmuted into Field Training Exercise and where necessary, it can dovetail into real-time mission or activities such as anti-kidnapping drills, Patrols, Raids, Cordon and Search, Check Points, Road Blocks and Show of Force,” the statement said.
The Army said “Exercise Python Dance” is multi agency in nature and execution, saying they are collaborating with Nigerian Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Commission among other agencies to ensure successful execution and attainment of outlined objectives.
“Also, the non-reliance on only Military Line of Operation to achieve the end states of the exercise was part of the texture of the strategy. For this season, an elaborate generous Civil Military Cooperation Line of Operation had been successfully planned and will be executed during this exercise.
“In this regard, some relevant Nigerian Army Corps and Services such as the Medical Corps and Engineers Corp will carry out free medical outreaches, roads and schools repairs across the South-East Region.
“On the whole, the Exercise has numerous objectives. Some of which are; to practice participating Units and Formations on planning, preparation and conduct of Internal Security Operations as well as to deter the activities of kidnappers, cultists, armed robbers and violent secessionist agitators.
“Others are – synergising with relevant paramilitary services to address the identified threats and sharpening the skills of troops towards current and emerging security challenges peculiar to the South-East region,” the statement read in part.
According to the Army, some of the exercises it has conducted successfully include Operation Awatse to tackle militants and oil installations vandals, illegal oil bunkering in the South West, especially in the creeks between Lagos and Ogun states.
They said “Exercise Shirin Harbi”, in addition to troops training, was also targeted at addressing restiveness, armed banditry and religious upheavals in the North-East, especially in Bauchi and Gombe states while the exercise was also aimed at containing the reign of killers, armed robbery/banditry in Southern Kaduna.
Others are “Exercise Harbin Kunama” launched in the North-East to combat cattle rustling, armed robbery, banditry, religious insurrection in Sokoto, Kaduna, Kano-Zamfara axis; as well as “Exercise Crocodile Smile” launched in the South-South to deal with criminal elements engaged in the vandalisation of oil pipelines and installations.
Meanwhile, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has expressed gratitude to God for averting bloodbath in the state, following the withdrawal of troops deployed to Abia State for a one-month military exercise code-named “Operation Python Dance.”
Ikpeazu made the remark on Sunday when he visited the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Abia council to commiserate with journalists over last Tuesday’s invasion of the secretariat by soldiers.
The governor noted that the presence of the troops sparked tension across the state.
He said “we are grateful to God for intervening in stopping what could have been the greatest bloodbath known in the history of mankind.”
He also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for reposing confidence in Southeast Governors’ Forum, “by giving us a second chance to talk to our people on the need for us to live as one united nation.”
He added that the Igbos remained the most widely travelled people in Nigeria, living and conducting businesses in every nook and cranny of the country.
The governor put the estimated population of Igbos in the north at about 12 million, with Borno having the least population of about 50,000 Igbo households.
He said Abia needed peace for business to thrive, especially in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state.
“I am very happy to say that normalcy has returned to the state,” he said, adding that Muslims worshipped in their Mosque on Friday in Aba.
He, therefore, urged residents of the state to go about their lawful businesses, assuring them that government would continue to provide adequate security for lives and property.
The governor described the invasion of the NUJ secretariat as unwarranted, saying that “journalists do not deserve such an attack.”
He said that although journalists faced different hazards in the course of their duty, military attacks only happened under military regime or war situation and not in a democracy.
Ikpeazu, who complained that the activities of his administration were under-reported, urged journalists to help in reporting the state positively to the world.
He promised to look into some of the challenges facing the Abia NUJ, including taking steps to complete the union’s unfinished permanent secretariat.
Earlier, the state Chairman of the union, Mr John Emejor, narrated how the secretariat was invaded by no fewer than 20 soldiers without any provocation.
Emejor said that Abia NUJ was the only council in the country that still operated in rented apartment.
He described the relationship between the union and Ikpeazu’s administration as frosty and urged the governor to take steps to reverse the trend.
The Abia correspondent of The Oracle Today newspaper, Bonny Okoro, was manhandled during the attack.
His Samsung tablet, as well as a cellphone belonging to the correspondent of Daily Times, Mr Sunny Nwakanma, was also destroyed by the assailants.
Gov. Ikpeazu was accompanied on the visit by his Deputy, Chief Ude Oko-Chukwu, Rep. Sam Onuigbo representing Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, and the Pillar of Abia NUJ, Dr Anthony Agbazuere
