Officers and soldiers attached to the Nigerian Army end of the year operation EXERCISE STILL WATER in Lagos have been warned to stay away from politicians and concentrate on exercise geared towards flushing out criminals from Lagos and Ogun states.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division who gave the warning told the soldiers that “this period is electioneering campaign period, that you are out here, outside the barrack, does not give you the privilege and freedom to go and start fraternizing with politician, to go an provide security services to any politician. You are suppose to remain apolitical, you are not suppose to support any individual who is a politician or any political party.
“You are suppose to provide safety and security to everybody without fear or favour, the only person you can take instruction from is the person who is immediately above you, your platoon commander, your company commander for the platoon commander, the battalion commander for the company commander, the Brigade commander for the Battalion commander.”
He said for soldiers to carry out any assignment they must take instructions from their immediate commander, adding that for the soldier to carry out any operation, due process must be followed and that that due process is in order of hierarchy.
General Ajunwa warned that any form of laxity and indiscipline will not be tolerated and that soldier who fail to comply with the orders will be severely punished.
General Ajunwa while flagging 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.
Earlier the 9 Brigade Commander, Brigadier Genera Insang Akpaomuntia said that intelligence reports indicates that cult groups are 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 these 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 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 conduct of military operation other than war mixed with cyber warfare which form 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.
