No fewer than 23 militants were killed while 38 militant
camps and 91 illegal refineries as well as bunkering
sites were destroyed in the just concluded military
exercise in the Niger Delta Region tagged “Crocodile
Smile.”
The General Commanding Officer (GOC) of the 82
Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Major-General
Ibrahim Attahiru, said that the exercise was targeted at
restoring peace to the oil rich region.
Addressing newsmen in Enugu on Saturday, Attahiru
disclosed that the Army lost four its men during the
exercise.
He assured that the formation in Enugu would continue
to halt the myriad of security threats cum economic
sabotage within its area of responsibility.
The GOC, who noted that the Army Division would
continue to maintain operational tempo to consolidate
on the gains it achieved during the exercise, reiterated
the resolve to defeat “any attempt at brazen attacks on
national critical infrastructure, oil and gas resources
and overall strangulation of the socio-economy of law
abiding citizenry by any group of militants or
criminals”.
According to him, “the Exercise Crocodile smile ended
not just as a training exercise but also as a way of
demonstrating the capacity and efficacy of the Nigerian
Army to secure lives and property in the Niger Delta
and Southeast Nigeria”.
“Unfortunately 4 among own troops got drowned in the
general area of Brass in Bayelsa State due to a boat
mishap while another one was killed in action
elsewhere around Obiozunmini near Obite in Onelga,
Rivers State in fire fight with the criminals/militants”,
he stated.
“Most importantly the Division is ever committed to the
strategic direction of the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of
Defence State and the President and Commander-In-
Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria”, he added.
He recalled that as part of the exercise, the Chief of
Army Staff and his entourage visited the governors,
prominent traditional rulers and other relevant
stakeholders in Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers State,
stressing that the Army Division in collaboration and
synergy with the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force
as well as other security agencies remained vital.
A former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief
Edwin Clark, recently observed that the Military drill
codenamed, “Operation Crocodile Smile” in the Niger
Delta region may jeopardise the ceasefire earlier
announced by militant groups.
