Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai has flagged off Python Dance III in Maiduguri, Borno state; to overcome security challenges in the 2019 general elections. Announcing the flag off on Friday at the Maimalari Cantonment news conference, Buratai said that the Python Dance III exercise is significant for the first time to be conducted simultaneously across the country. Buratai, who was represented by Army Chief of Training and Operations, Maj-Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, said that the exercise had yielded positive results in checkmating security challenges in the Southeast region in 2016 and 2017. “The Nigerian Army will continue to conduct Internal Security operations in combating criminality and other security challenges in the country,” he said. According to him, the internal security operations are in line with Army’s constitutional mandate of military aid to civil authority. His words: “It is a reassurance of the resolve of the Army as well as other security agencies to ensure that law and order is maintained as we approach the forthcoming general elections. “As the build up to the 2019 elections gather momentum, an upsurge of security challenges such as stockpiling of arms by criminal groups, formation of ethnic militia and violence induced by political activities has been observed. “These challenges coupled with other security threats across the country such as terrorism, militancy, kidnapping and banditry portend those dissident groups and criminal elements could cash in on the situation to perpetrate large scale violence before, during and after 2019 general elections.” He said troops need to be prepared and equipped with requite skills in order to professionally and effectively respond to these challenges and threats in collaboration with police and other paramilitary organisations. “I believe python dance III with its mandate of combating the upsurge in security challenges as we approach the 2019 general elections be a success,” he assured, adding that the Army is committed to the fight against terrorism and insurgency. He called on people to provide troops with adequate support, particularly on timely information to deliver the mandate on python dance operations. He said python dance III will be conducted across the six geopolitical zones of the country from January to February, 2019.
