The 81 Division of the Nigerian Army (NA) on Tuesday inaugurated Exercise Still Water to combat crime and insecurity within its area of responsibility.

The 120 army personnel participated in the programme during the inauguration held in Ojota, with no fewer than 150 residents of the community benefitting from a free-medical outreach conducted by the army.

The division’s General Officer Commanding (GOC), Obinna Ajunwa, said the exercise was aimed at sharpening the professional skills of the security personnel that would be involved in the activity.

“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.

“This is geared toward reassuring all law-abiding citizens and the public of the NA’s commitment and readiness to provide security and safety for the citizenry,” he said.

Mr Ajunwa said the exercise would provide an opportunity for the army and other services and security agencies to conduct joint operations to strengthen inter-agency cooperation for efficient service delivery.

“The exercise will be intelligence-driven and dovetail into real-time operations at any moment a potent threat is encountered.

“This will be in line with the military’s constitutional role of conducting internal security operations in aid to civil authority,” he said.

The GOC expressed confidence in the exercise achieving its objective, which he said would further enhance the troops’ professional knowledge, capacity to conduct joint operations and synergy to tackle common security challenges.

“It is also hoped that Nigerians and the general public will celebrate the Christmas and New Year festivities peacefully and afterwards conduct a peaceful general election in 2023,” the GOC said.

Mr Ajunwa reassured the public that the army, under the leadership of the Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Faruk Yahaya, was committed to seeing the end of terrorism, insurgency and other criminalities.

(NAN)