Army vows to smoke out criminals from Kogi hideouts

Training, intelligence sharing key to ending insecurity, says commander
The Command Army Records (CAR), Lokoja, Kogi State, has vowed to fish out criminals in the state, wherever they may hide, with the launch of Exercise Enduring Peace II.

In his welcome address at the flag-off in Okene, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Farouk Yahaya, said the exercise, billed for the last quarter of the year, was to checkmate all forms of criminality at Yuletide.

According to him, the exercise was birthed due to the security challenges across the country. “Similar exercises are also ongoing in other parts of the country under different names, depending on the peculiarity of each region,” he added.

The COAS, who was represented by the Commander, CAR, Maj-Gen. Sunday Igbinomwanhia, said the exercise would hold from October 18 to December 22, 2022.

He explained that the exercise would involve patrols, ambushes and raids of criminal hideouts.

“Our choice of medical outreach in support of the exercise is deeply rooted in our belief that the support of the host communities is key to the success of the entire operation,” he noted.

Stressing that the medical outreach will ameliorate the existing health challenges in the targeted communities and foster existing cordial relationship between CAR and host communities, the COAS further disclosed that the exercise involves all security agencies in Kogi as well as vigilante groups to ensure peace across the state.

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, who flagged off the exercise, thanked the COAS for organising it to keep the criminals out of circulation.

MEANWHILE, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division, Nigerian Army, and Commander Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Maj-Gen. Ibrahim Ali, has said that continuous joint training and sharing of intelligence among security agencies are key to ending security challenges in the country.

He made this known yesterday, while declaring open a one-week 3 Division Operations Planning Cadre for junior leadership officers in Jalingo, Taraba State.

In a statement by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 3 Division, Jos, Maj. Ishaku Takwa, the GOC noted that “training is necessary” to build the capabilities and competence required of junior leaders to successfully plan, execute operations and promote synergy, as well as cooperation, among the security agencies.”

The programme is deliberately tailored to focus on inter-agency cooperation in a multi-joint environment, junior leadership skills, Media Operations, Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for the 2023 elections.