The Nigerian Army on Wednesday announced the planned commencement of its special operation to clampdown on those perpetrating killings and other violent crimes in Benue State and environs to restore peace in the areas.
Other states scheduled for the operations are Nasarawa, Kogi, Kaduna, Taraba and Niger, all within the Middle Belt region, which are also victims of the Fulani herdsmen attacks.
There have been series of killings and wanton destruction of property in these states, said to be perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen, and the attendant outburst that the Federal Government was not doing anything to stop the killings.
However, about 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari finally directed that the attackers in Benue State and environs be arrested, the Nigerian army came up with the planned exercise.
Briefing newsmen on the operation, Lt- Gen Tukur Buratai, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), said that the operation named ‘Exercise Ayem Akpatuma’, which would hold between February 15 and March 31, would be conducted in Area of Responsibility (AOR) of 1 and 3 Divisions in Kaduna and Jos, including Headquarters, Command Army Records, CAR, Kogi, Guards Brigade, Abuja, and 707 Special Forces Brigade, Makurdi.
Buratai, who was represented by Maj-Gen David Ahamadu, Chief of Training and Operations (CTOP), said that in view of this exercise, the army would establish Brigade Headquarters in each of these states as the exercise will culminate into real time operation.
The army chief stressed that in line with its constitutional role in aid of civil authority, ‘Exercise Ayem Akpatuma’ has become more expedient due to 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 our communities particularly in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states by armed militias. These security challenges have continued unabatedly in these states despite the efforts by sister security agencies to curb them.
“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.”