Army Ends ‘Operation Python Dance’ In S-East

The operation was introduced by the military to curb crime in the South-East geopolitical zone during the Christmas and New Year celebrations. The exercise was launched to last from Nov. 27 to Dec. 27.

The Deputy Director, Public Relations, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Col. Sagir Musa, who made the disclosure on Monday, added that troops would continue to maintain road blocks and check points in the zone to sustain the gains of the exercise.

He expressed satisfaction with the exercise, noting that the zone did not record incidents of armed robbery, kidnapping, and other vices usually associated with the yuletide in the past.

“The Exercise will end on Dec. 27, as earlier indicated. However, troops will still be massively around in the whole of South-East to continue with patrols, road blocks and check points”, Col Musa said.

“Nigeria’s South-East has not recorded incidence of armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism and associated violence as well as inter-communal, herdsmen-farmers clashes during this Yuletide due to the on-going military exercise in the region tagged Operation Python Dance.

“These menaces are and have been the focus and targets of this exercise which has so far been successful,” Musa said.

The army spokesman also said the that the General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Abubakar, visited the Niger Bridge to assess the state of security and vehicular movements.

“It would be recalled that traffic gridlock has for many years, especially during the yuletide, been endemic on the Niger Bridge at both Asaba and Onitsha axis inflicting suffering and other inconveniences on road users.

“Hence, part of the target for the exercise is to check the usual gridlock, chaos and insecurity on the Bridge. This objective has so far been achieved.

“Since the start of Exercise Python Dance, there has not been any case of gridlock and associated insecurity on the Asaba-Onitsha Bridge.

“The orderliness, the disposition of combined security personnel and the manner the general public conducted themselves, especially the road users is commendable.”