COAS Launches Yuletide Season Exercises (Photos)
COAS Launches Yuletide Season Exercises (Photos)
COAS Launches Yuletide Season Exercises (Photos)
Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), on Tuesday flagged off three training exercises.
The exercises are EXERCISE STILL WATERS 3, GOLDEN DAWN 3, and ENDURING PEACE 3 to secure the safety of people and property across the federation as the year comes to a close.
The exercises, designed to address security concerns in the South South, South East, South West, and North Central Nigeria, would take place concurrently in the relevant geopolitical zones till the end of the year.
READ ALSO: Insecurity: Flush Out Criminals, from FCT – Commander Guards Brigade Tasks Troops
He added that this is when many Nigerians travel around the country in the spirit of the yuletide thereby necessitating the need for a safe and enabling environment for citizens to go about their lawful businesses without fear or apprehension.
Gen Lagbaja however charged the troops to carry out their duties diligently within the confines of the law and stipulated codes of conduct. According to the Army Chief, “We should not be a problem to the citizens we are trying to protect”.
In the same vein, the COAS also inaugurated EXERCISE CLEAN SWEEP” at the Ikeja Cantonment Lagos to clear Unexploded Explosive Ordnances at the site of the unfortunate 2002 bomb blast, which occurred then at the Nigerian Army Cantonment located at Maryland, Ikeja, Lagos.
Speaking during the flag off ceremony, the Army Chief revealed that the objective of the exercise is to completely disinfect the epicenter of the Ikeja bomb blast and clear it of all verified and suspected remaining Unexploded Explosive Ordnances lying around the cantonment.
He pointed out that initial clearance operations ensured some degree of safety in the Cantonment and its environ, adding that the recent discovery of some Unexploded Explosive Ordnances at the site of the blast raised the need for the Nigerian Army to carry out a follow-up clearance exercise in the Cantonment and its environ.
Noting that the exercise will be conducted for 61 days, the COAS enjoined members of the public, particularly those in Lagos and Ogun states not to panic on sighting the movement of special military vehicles and hearing the sound of explosion during the conduct of the exercise.
He assured that appropriate safety and security measures have been emplaced to guarantee an accident free exercise. He disclosed further that in compliance with global best practice, all relevant emergency and response agencies, including the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, State Emergency Management Agency and the Medics will work in synergy to ensure successful completion of the exercise.
Gen Lagbaja expressed appreciation to the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unflinching support to the Nigerian Army in pursuit of its constitutional responsibilities. He assured that never again will such unfortunate incident be allowed in Nigerian Army Cantonments.
The Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Mr Tayo Ayinde, the Oba of Onigbongbo Kingdom, HRH Oba Adeyemi Ajasa, Corps Commanders, Principal Staff Officers of the Army Headquarters, General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, Heads of security agencies in Lagos state, and others were in attendance.
Later, the COAS paid a courtesy call on Lagos’ Oba, His Royal Majesty Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, and visited Headquarters 192 Battalion in Owode, Ogun State.
COAS Launches Yuletide Season Exercises (Photos)
