The Nigerian Army has launched “Ayem Akpatuma,” meaning ‘Cat Race’ to tackle the crises between herdsmen and farmer as well as cases of kidnapping in Benue and other states.
The Chief of Training and Operations, Maj.-Gen. David Ahmadu, said on Wednesday in Abuja that the operation would run from February 15 to March 31 in Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger states.
The deployment came after several killings involving farmers and herdsmen in the north-central region of the country which resulted in several deaths and destruction of property worth millions of naira.
Ahmadu recalled that in 2017, the Army conducted several training activities for its personnel in different geo-political zones of the country, in line with its constitutional role in aid of civil authority.
“Exercise Ayem Akpatuma has become more expedient due to the upsurge in cases of armed banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling in Kaduna and Niger states,’’ he said.
The operation, he explained was necessary because of 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,” he said.
The Army chief further explained that the operation was necessary for troops to be exercised, refreshed and to imbibe the requisite skills to cope with emerging security challenges within the areas of responsibility in aid of civil authority.
He said it was also in line with the drive towards actualising the vision of the Chief of Army Staff, which is “To have a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles.”
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“This exercise will be conducted in conjunction with other security agencies such as Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. It will also afford the troops an opportunity to effectively checkmate the dreadful activities of the marauding criminal militias perpetrating criminal acts in these states and its environs.
“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,” Ahmadu added.
The Army assured Nigerians that the exercise would be unique as the ones before it, with the establishment of Step-Up Brigade Headquarters in Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger states.
According to them, emphasis would also be placed on raids, cordon and search operations, anti-kidnapping drills, roadblocks, checkpoints and show of force, as well as humanitarian activities such as medical outreach.
