• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
    • Government
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
    • Chinese nationals jailed in Lagos

      Court Jails Nine Chinese Nationals for Cybercrime in Lagos

      ASUU

      Tackle Corruption, Institutional Decay – ASUU Charges FG

      EFCC Arraigns Bauchi Accountant General Over N8bn Fraud as Court Sentences…

      PRNigeria logo fearured image

      EFCC Arraigns Ex-Convict, Other for Naira Abuse in Lagos

      EFCC Arrests 37 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Ilorin

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • Acting Controller General of Customs, Nigerian Customs Services, NSC, Ag. CG Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

      Customs Exposes Scam Over Form M Migration to B’Odogwu Platform

      CBN

      The Facts About Nigeria’s Debts Burden Under Tinubu’s Watch By Zekeri…

      Ibrahim Yahaya Dandakata of Arewa Economic Forum AEF

      AEF Slams CBN’s New BDC Policy, Cites Threat to Northern Economy…

      Google Search Tech Digest

      7 Smart Google Search Tips That Will Save You Hours By…

      U.S. VISA

      REVEALED: Why US Reduced Visa Validity for Nigerians to 3 Months…

  • National
    • BREAKING: Nigeria Bids Farewell as Former President Muhammadu Buhari Laid to…

      Gen Lucky Irabor and Muhammadu Buhari

      Beyond the Public Gaze: Gen Irabor’s Intimate Farewell to Buhari

      Tinubu Receives Buhari’s Remains in Katsina Ahead of Burial in Daura

      Late President Muhammadu Buhari

      Atiku, Osinbajo, Amaechi, Pantami, Others Storm Katsina for Buhari’s Final Rites

      JUST IN: VP Shettima Arrives Katsina With Late Ex-President Buhari’s Body

    • Government
      • Gen Lucky Irabor and Muhammadu Buhari

        Beyond the Public Gaze: Gen Irabor’s Intimate Farewell to Buhari

        Kogi Confirms Arrest of Kidnappers’ Informants

        Late President Muhammadu Buhari

        Atiku, Osinbajo, Amaechi, Pantami, Others Storm Katsina for Buhari’s Final Rites

        JUST IN: VP Shettima Arrives Katsina With Late Ex-President Buhari’s Body

        Nigeria Engages US, UAE over New Visa Policies, Reaffirms Commitment to…

  • Security
    • Nigerian Police Force

      Police Nab Suspects Over Killing of Chinese National, Arrest 2 Others…

      Nigerian Police Force

      Lagos Police Arrest Suspected Armed Robber, Recover AK-49 Rifle

      Kogi Confirms Arrest of Kidnappers’ Informants

      Badaru and Matawalle

      Buhari’s Patriotism Will Never Be Forgotten — Ministry of Defence

      Police Officer

      Enugu Police Raid Firearms Factory, Recover 10 Guns

  • Features
    • Gen Lucky Irabor and Muhammadu Buhari

      Beyond the Public Gaze: Gen Irabor’s Intimate Farewell to Buhari

      Tribute to the Late Former President Buhari, By Vice Admiral Awwal…

      Customs boss, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi with NAFDAC DG Professor Moji Adeyeye

      Customs, NAFDAC and the Fight that Matters

      Late President Muhammadu Buhari

      The Passing of a Mighty Warrior by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

      President Muhammadu Buhari

      Buhari in his Own Words By Kabir Akintayo

  • State
    • Nigerian Police Force

      Police Nab Suspects Over Killing of Chinese National, Arrest 2 Others…

      Nigerian Police Force

      Lagos Police Arrest Suspected Armed Robber, Recover AK-49 Rifle

      Kogi Confirms Arrest of Kidnappers’ Informants

      Nigeria Engages US, UAE over New Visa Policies, Reaffirms Commitment to…

      Crowned Prince Salman of Saudi Arabia

      ‎Saudi Arabia Mourns Buhari’s Death, Condoles Tinubu

  • Event
    • Late President Muhammadu Buhari

      Northwest Governors Mourn Buhari, Declare Tuesday Public Holiday

      Late President Muhammadu Buhari

      UPDATE: Buhari’s remain for burial Tuesday 2pm – Gov Radda

      Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Suleja

      NIPOST Appoints Ibrahim Musa Suleja Director of Corporate Communications

      Asiwaju Adegboyega Solomon Awomolo

      47 Years of Excellence: Honoring Asiwaju Awomolo, SAN

      NCoS inmates

      58 Inmates in Kano Sit for 2025 NECO Exams, Thanks to…

    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Home Features Nigerian Army and Contemporary Security Challenges
  • Features
  • Security

Nigerian Army and Contemporary Security Challenges

By
Colonel Sagir Musa
-
January 15, 2017
Lt Major General Tukur Buratai Rtd
Lt Major General Tukur Buratai Rtd

Gen Tukur Buratai
General Tukur Buratai, Chief of Army Staff

By Colonel Sagir Musa

In line with the constitutional mandate of the Nigerian Army to assist civil authority when directed, the Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Tukur Buratai proactively appraised the myriad of security challenges and scenarios across the nation. Consequently, he directed the conduct of several Simulation, Command Post and Field Training Exercises in various regions of Nigeria.
These Exercises were deliberately initiated and conducted with an overarching aim of checkmating identified security challenges prevalent in the regions where they were carried out. In this regard, Exercise SHIRIN HARBI was staged from 17 -19 April 2016 in 3 Division Area of Responsibility to take care of the insurgency and sundry crimes such as cattle rustling and armed banditry common in parts of the North Eastern Region.

In the same vein, Exercise HARBIN KUNAMA was held in 1 Division Area of Responsibility from 9 – 15 July 2016 to rid the general area of the North West Region of banditry, insurgency, religious insurrection, armed robbery and cattle rustling among other menaces.

Also, Exercise CROCODILE SMILE was conducted from 5 – 10 September 2016 in the Niger Delta Region by a combination of 2 and 82 Divisions with the major aim of reducing incidences of illegal bunkering, oil theft, piracy, pipeline vandalization and other criminalities across the entire region. Additionally, it was the objective of the exercise to sharpen the skills of army personnel to be proficient in Internal Security duties in maritime operations.
Similarly, Exercise PYTHON DANCE was carried out in the South Eastern Region from 27 November – 27 December 2016. The peculiar security challenges in the region such as kidnapping, abduction, armed robbery, farmers – herdsmen clashes, communal crisis, traffic gridlock and violent secessionist agitation among others were the targets of this Exercise.

Thus, the concept of Exercise PYTHON DANCE, just like others before it, is purely Command Post, Field Training and Real Time Exercise. It is aimed to enhance troops’ agility and preparedness across spectrum of contemporary and emerging security challenges peculiar to South Eastern Region. The Exercise is three in one, in that – it was – deliberately designed as – a Command Post Exercise that transmuted into Field Training Exercise and where necessary dovetailed into real time mission or activities such as anti kidnapping drills, Patrols, Raids, Cordon and Search, Check Points, Road Blocks and Show of Force.
One interesting aspect of the Exercise is that it is multi agency in nature and execution. Relevant Para-Military organizations such as elements of the Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, State Security Services and Federal Road Safety Commission synergized and collaborated to ensure successful execution and attainment of outlined objectives.

Also, the non reliance on only Military Line of Operation to achieve the end states of the exercise was part of the texture of EX PYTHON DANCE. For this reason, an elaborately generous Civil – Military Cooperation Line of Operation had been successfully planned and executed during this exercise. In this regard, some relevant Nigerian Army Corps and Services such as the Medical Corps and Engineers Corps carried out medical outreaches, roads and schools repairs across the South Eastern Region. This contributed to positive public perception of the exercise and won the hearts and minds of the civil populace in the targeted areas.

Read Also:

  • Police Nab Suspects Over Killing of Chinese National, Arrest 2 Others in Plateau
  • BREAKING: Nigeria Bids Farewell as Former President Muhammadu Buhari Laid to Rest in Daura
  • Lagos Police Arrest Suspected Armed Robber, Recover AK-49 Rifle

On the whole, Ex PYTHON DANCE has numerous objectives. Some of which are; to practice participating units on planning, preparation and conduct of Internal Security Operations, intensify training on Counter Terrorism and Internal Security Operations as well as to deter the activities of kidnappers, cultists, armed robbers and violent secessionist agitators. Others are – synergizing with relevant Para- Military services to address the identified threats and sharpening the skills of troops towards curtailing current and emerging security challenges peculiar to the South Eastern Region. In all standards, this Exercise and others before it were successful. The earmarked objectives have been achieved and lessons learnt are being put into practice for the benefit of future training and exercises.

Despite the initial disinformation, agitation and misplaced apprehension about the Exercise, the record of achievements during Ex PYTHON DANCE is huge and highly acknowledged particularly by well meaning locals and visitors across the South Eastern Region. Due to intensity of patrols, road blocks, raids and other activities in the Military Line of Operation, miscreants and criminals were denied freedom of action. As a result, most of the criminal elements fizzled out of the region into neighboring Delta and Rivers States. The account of peace, law, order and secured environments in the entire South Eastern Region occasioned by the Exercise was widely circulated by the media among others. Accordingly, the political leadership, some elites and the locals in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States appreciated and differently voiced their commendations about the Nigerian Army.

Also, most of the security challenges such as intra and inter communal crisis, farmers – herdsmen clashes, kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism as well as “trading in human misery” in the region were grossly reduced to the barest minimum. These menaces are and have been the focus and targets of this Exercise and have so far been effectively achieved.

Similarly, violent secessionist agitators and related irredentist groups were silently suppressed. Consequently, the region was stabilized, with an increased level of free movements and a boost to economic and social activities.

Parenthetically, the annual gridlock on the Niger Bridge at Onitsha was effectively remedied. The yearly sufferings, inconveniencies and insecurity arising from traffic jam on the Asaba-Onitsha axis of the bridge were curtailed. Seamless flow of traffic was achieved by own troops working in synergy with the Federal Road Safety Commission and the Nigerian Police Force. Above all, Federal Road Safety Commission available Road Traffic Accident Statistics in the entire region present a significant reduction occasioned by the strength of road blocks, check points and patrols during the period.

Equally important is that the Exercise has further raised the image and reputation of the Nigerian Army in its struggles to end insurgency, crimes and criminalities across the nation.

It is therefore interesting but not surprising to security and intelligence community, – that Command Post and Field Training Exercises were initiated and executed with the major objective of addressing peculiar security challenges across the various regions of Nigeria. This idea assisted significantly in the huge successes achieved in all the areas where the Exercises were conducted. The Buratai’s Approach – that of putting – realism/pragmatism and subterfuge into training, exercises and/or operations strategically aimed or targeted to solving identified security threats across the nation has so far yielded the desired results.
Some of the effects of this “Realist Approach to Warfare, Training and Exercises” are obvious not only in the successes recorded, but also in the elements of surprise as been achieved. Miscreants, saboteurs, bandits and criminals were taken unaware – believing that the Exercise remains – a Command Post and/or a Field Training Exercise only.

Similarly, the art of warfare –real or putative, is part of a training period for the participating troops. In this regard, a lot has been learnt on real time situations during Ex PYTHON DANCE and the other Exercises before it. Here, lies the beauty of the pragmatic approach to Internal Security Operation, the imperativeness of its sustenance and possible extension to Southern Kaduna and other identified flash points across the nation.

Colonel SAGIR MUSA
Deputy Director Army Public Relations
Enugu

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • "CROCODILE SMILE"
  • python dance
Previous articleEFCC Graduates 331 Operatives
Next articleUndue Process : VP, SGF Remove Female Top shot from Office
Colonel Sagir Musa
Colonel Sagir Musa
https://prnigeria.com
PRNigeria is the pioneer Press Release Distribution agency in Nigeria. A member of image Merchant Promotions limited, PRNigeria encourages individuals and organisations to be more transparent in their information management. with dedicated Editorial staffs, the PRNigeria ensures that information provided on its platforms are timely, factual and authoritative Read more at: //prnigeria.com/about/
Facebook Twitter

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Nigerian Police Force

Police Nab Suspects Over Killing of Chinese National, Arrest 2 Others in Plateau

Nigerian Police Force

Lagos Police Arrest Suspected Armed Robber, Recover AK-49 Rifle

Gen Lucky Irabor and Muhammadu Buhari

Beyond the Public Gaze: Gen Irabor’s Intimate Farewell to Buhari

Kogi Confirms Arrest of Kidnappers’ Informants

Badaru and Matawalle

Buhari’s Patriotism Will Never Be Forgotten — Ministry of Defence

Police Officer

Enugu Police Raid Firearms Factory, Recover 10 Guns

Military Troops in Action

Troops Ambush Bandits, Eliminate 2, Recover Arms in Plateau

Tribute to the Late Former President Buhari, By Vice Admiral Awwal Z Gambo (Rtd) CFR

Customs boss, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi with NAFDAC DG Professor Moji Adeyeye

Customs, NAFDAC and the Fight that Matters

Kano Police Arrest 28 Suspects, Seize Dangerous Weapons

Kogi SEMA To Establish Emergency Operation Centre

Late President Muhammadu Buhari

The Passing of a Mighty Warrior by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Log in to leave a comment

Recent Posts

  • Police Nab Suspects Over Killing of Chinese National, Arrest 2 Others in Plateau
  • BREAKING: Nigeria Bids Farewell as Former President Muhammadu Buhari Laid to Rest in Daura
  • Lagos Police Arrest Suspected Armed Robber, Recover AK-49 Rifle
  • Beyond the Public Gaze: Gen Irabor’s Intimate Farewell to Buhari
  • Kogi Confirms Arrest of Kidnappers’ Informants
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Police Nab Suspects Over Killing of Chinese National, Arrest 2 Others in PlateauBREAKING: Nigeria Bids Farewell as Former President Muhammadu Buhari Laid to Rest in DauraLagos Police Arrest Suspected Armed Robber, Recover AK-49 RifleBeyond the Public Gaze: Gen Irabor's Intimate Farewell to BuhariKogi Confirms Arrest of Kidnappers’ InformantsTinubu Receives Buhari’s Remains in Katsina Ahead of Burial in DauraAtiku, Osinbajo, Amaechi, Pantami, Others Storm Katsina for Buhari’s Final RitesJUST IN: VP Shettima Arrives Katsina With Late Ex-President Buhari’s BodyNigeria Engages US, UAE over New Visa Policies, Reaffirms Commitment to Diplomatic TiesFACT-CHECK: Was Sheikh Emami al-Hadi Arrested in Iran for Being a Mossad Spy?‎Saudi Arabia Mourns Buhari's Death, Condoles TinubuBuhari’s Patriotism Will Never Be Forgotten — Ministry of DefenceEnugu Police Raid Firearms Factory, Recover 10 GunsTroops Ambush Bandits, Eliminate 2, Recover Arms in PlateauTribute to the Late Former President Buhari, By Vice Admiral Awwal Z Gambo (Rtd) CFR
X whatsapp