The Nigerian Army on Tuesday showed its’ force to ward off criminals in Lagos and Ogun states.
The Army said the show of force was following intelligence on an attempt by fleeing bandits to attack Lagos and take over the economic nerve centre of the country.
The force said intelligence reports indicate also that cult groups were planning to take over some key areas of the state, including, Oworonshoki, Apapa, Surulere, Ajao estate, Mushin, and Ojo.
The 9 Brigade Commander Brigadier General Insang Akpaomuntia, who made the revelations, said the activities of the criminal element pushed the Nigerian Army authorities to task the brigade to conduct EXERCISE STILL WATER, within Lagos and Ogun states
He said that troops of the brigade will be deployed to flush out the criminals in real-time operations during the Exercise period which will last from October 18 to December 23, 2022.
General Akpamoutia stated that a recent intelligence report revealed an unprecedented wave of criminals within our environs who have taken over some communities to perpetuate their criminal acts, adding that despite efforts of security agencies, these criminal elements have continued to engage in criminal activities such as kidnapping, banditry, militancy, cultism, and other crimes within the city of Lagos.
He disclosed that given this, the Brigade is tasked to conduct this exercise to curtail these criminal activities in conjunction with other Sister Services and security agencies as the yuletide approaches.
General Akpaumontia said the setting of EXERCISE STILL WATER which is premised largely on the conduct of military operations other than war mixed with cyber warfare which forms parts of military aid to civil authority, adding that the operation is designed to curtail activities of militant, armed robbers, kidnappers, and oil thieves.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division Nigerian Army Major General Obinna Ajunwa flagged off the EXERCISE in Lagos and Ogun States to address insecurity during the festive period.
General Ajunwa during the flag-off of Exercise STILL WATERS at Foru Terminal Ikorodu Road Ojota Motor Park, Lagos State stated that the whole idea of the Exercise was to assess troops in various aspects of leadership, CIMIC, critical knowledge of maneuver, and its application as well as command and control in Military Operations Other Than War in a multi-agency setting.
The GOC noted that the Exercise would provide a good opportunity for conducting joint operations with other Services and relevant security agencies to strengthen inter-agency cooperation for the efficient conduct of operations in aid of civil authority.
General Ajunwa disclosed that the Exercise will be based on the Nigerian Army Forward Operating Base Concept and will involve Civil Military Cooperation activities as well as media operations. In his words, the objective of the exercise among others is to reduce to the barest minimum the prevailing security threats in the riverine environment such as piracy, illegal oil bunkering activities, pipeline vandalism, cultism, militancy, terrorism, and some other common sundry crimes. He added that the Exercise will be intelligence-driven and will dovetail into real-time operations at any moment a potent threat is encountered.
The GOC assured that the waterways would also be secured because there would be military gunboats on patrol and soldiers would be deployed to water banks and jetties across Ogun and Lagos states.
