Army launches ‘Exercise Ayem Akpatuma’ to tackle killings, other crimes in Benue, Taraba, other states

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Major General David Ahmadu, Chief of Training and Operations, Nigerian Army, Headquarters (middle), Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman and other senior officer, during the press conference addressed by General Ahmadu on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, in the Conference of the Army Headquarters, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

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A new operation code-named “Exercise Ayem Akpatuma” has been launched by the Nigerian Army to quell the security challenges facing the country in the North Central states of Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger.

The operations will run from February 15 to March 31, 2018 in the Nigerian states listed.

The deployment of troops taking part in the operations was coming after several killings involving farmers and herdsmen in the North Central region of the country which resulted in several deaths and destruction of property worth millions of naira.

Officers and journalists during the press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja.

It would be recalled that, despite the efforts by sister security agencies to curb the insecurity in those states, upsurge in cases of armed banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling in Kaduna and Niger states as well as other sundry crimes in Kogi State and herdsmen/farmers clashes and attacks on innocent members of the communities particularly Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states by armed militias have become unabated.

For this reason therefore, the Nigerian Army, during a press conference addressed by its Chief of Training and Operations, Major General David Ahmadu, on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, in the Army Headquartes Conference Room on Wednesday, said the “Exercise Ayem Akpatuma” had become expediently inevitable to tackle the security challenges within the given areas of responsibility.

Also speaking at the press conference also attended by other senior officers including the Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR) Brigadier General Sanni Kukasheka Usman, the Army chief training and operations said the operations became necessary as a drive towards actualizing the Chief of Army Staff vision that is, “To have a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles.”

Recalling that the Army had conducted several training activities for its personnel in different geopolitical zones of the country in 2017 in line with its constitutional role in aid of civil authority, General Ahmadu noted that the North Central region’s security challenges had defied all efforts towards stopping them hence the need for deployment of troops, taking part in the “Exercise Ayem Akpatuma”, which also means “Exercise Cat Race”, to be exercised, refreshed and to imbibe the requisite skills to cope with them.

He said, “This exercise will be conducted in conjunction with other security agencies such as Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. It will also afford the troops an opportunity to effectively checkmate the dreadful activities of the marauding criminal militias perpetrating criminal acts in these States and its environs.

“Additionally, Exercise Ayem Akpatuma is also conceptualised to dovetail into real-time operations, thereby fulfilling both training and operations objectives of sharpening operational skills of personnel as well as providing an avenue to conduct operations against violent criminals when called upon,” Ahmadu added.

The Army assured Nigerians that the exercise would be unique as the ones before it, with the establishment of Step-Up Brigade Headquarters in Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger states.

According to them, emphasis would also be placed on raids, cordon and search operations, anti-kidnapping drills, roadblocks, checkpoints and show of force, as well as humanitarian activities such as medical outreach.

Major General David Ahmadu expressed confidence that the new operation would be another remarkable exercise that would make the nation proud of the Nigerian Army’s determination at sustaining its constitutional role of defending Nigeria’s territorial integrity, as well as its commitment to aid the civil authority to bring about peace and security in troubled areas.

In this regard, he asked the residents of the affected states not to panic as their security, safety and well-being have been deliberately factored in the planning of the exercise.

“The troops taking part in the exercise would be guided by the Professional Code of Conduct, Rules of Engagement and the respect for human rights. Thus, the general public is requested to remain vigilant and be security conscious, as suspected criminals may be fleeing from military operations in these areas and finding a safe haven amidst our communities.

“The public is also reminded to report any suspicious activity or movement to the nearest military formation or other security agencies for prompt action. In order to ensure cordial civil-military relations, we shall make contact phone numbers of all Brigade Commanders public in addition to the Nigerian Army shortcode Information and Call  Centre 193,” said Ahmadu.

Acknowledging the media as partners in progress, the Major General seized the opportunity afforded him by that yet another interface between the Army and the press to crave the indulgence of practitioners “to give this exercise widest publicity”.


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