To safeguard the safety of people and property, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, flagged off three training exercises on Tuesday at the same time across the nation.
The drills are EXERCISE STILL WATERS 3, GOLDEN DAWN 3, and ENDURING PEACE 3, according to a statement from Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations.
According to Nwachukwu, the exercises, which are intended to reduce the security risks in the South-South, South-East, South-West, and North-Central, would take place concurrently in each of the aforementioned geographical zones through the end of the year.
In order to lessen the difficulties connected with the final three months of the year, the COAS Lagbaja stated that the drills in Lagos would address a variety of developing security challenges specific to the impacted geographical zones.
He pointed out that around this time, many Nigerians typically travel throughout the nation in the yuletide spirit, requiring the need for a safe and enabling environment for residents to do their lawful enterprises without fear or anxiety.
The troops were ordered by Lagbaja to perform their tasks carefully and in accordance with the rules of engagement.
The residents they are attempting to safeguard shouldn’t have to deal with army troops, in his opinion.
The COAS also launched EXERCISE CLEAN SWEEP at the Ikeja Cantonment in Lagos to clear unexploded explosive ordinances from the location of the terrible bomb blast that happened there in 2002.
The army leader stated that the exercise’s goal was to completely sterilise the area surrounding the Ikeja bomb blast’s epicentre and remove all confirmed and suspected unexploded explosive devices that may have been lying around the cantonment.
He stated that the original clearance operations had, to some extent, ensured the safety of the cantonment and its surroundings, but added that the recent discovery of certain unexploded explosive ordnances at the blast site necessitated another clearance operation.
He claims that 61 days will pass before the exercise begins.
The COAS warned the populace not to panic when they saw special military vehicles moving around or heard explosions during the exercise, especially residents in Lagos and Ogun states.
He gave the assurance that the necessary safeguards had been put in place to ensure an accident-free workout.
Lagbaja continued by saying that all pertinent emergency and response organisations, such as the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, State Emergency Management Agency, and the Medics, would collaborate to ensure the exercise’s success.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support of the Nigerian army’s efforts to carry out its constitutional obligations.
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Mr. Tayo Ayinde, and the Oba of Onigbongbo Kingdom, Oba Adeyemi Ajasa, were present at the beginning of the exercises.
Corps commanders, major staff officers of the Army Headquarters, the general officer commanding the 81st Division, the air officer commanding the logistics command, and the chiefs of the security organisations in Lagos state were among those also present.
The COAS then visited Headquarters 192 Battalion in Owode, Ogun State, and made a courtesy call to HRM Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, the Oba of Lagos. (NAN)
