The Nigerian military began an operation in the South-East as part of its efforts to curb rising insecurity issues in the region on Monday.
The Army indicated this at a press conference in Awka, the Anambra State capital as soldiers and policemen paraded the streets of Owerri, the Imo State capital, in a show of force on Monday.
In Enugu, hoodlums operating in a Hilux van had a field day rampaging the city in the process of enforcing the sit-at-home order which the Indigenous People of Biafra said it had suspended.
The insecurity issues in the South-East has increased since the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was arrested in June.
Dr Chike Akunyili, the widower of the late Minister of Information, Prof Dora Akunyili, alongside nine other people were killed last week by gunmen at Nkpor in the Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The sit-at-home order in South-East states has continued to take its toll on the businesses and social activities in the state as residents once again stayed in their homes while the miscreants continued to create fears by attacking those who disobeyed the sit-at-home order.
There was panic in Owerri, on Monday as news filtered in that a group of gunmen were on the rampage.
However, the state Commissioner for Information and strategy, Declan Emelumba, said the stampede was not needed as the security operatives were on “Operation Show of Force” in the state capital.
The 302 Artillery Regiment General Support, on Monday, launched ‘Exercise Golden Dawn’, to provide security in the state. The exercise, according to the Commander 302 Artillery Regiment (General Support) Col Abdulkarim Usman, will help to combat insecurity in the state and foster inter agency cooperation.
Usman said, ”The military will use the golden opportunity in conjunction with other security agencies to curb the existing security threats in Anambra State.
“The threats range from secessionist agitations, by the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, the Indigenous People of Biafra, and Eastern Security Network.
“Others are banditry, kidnapping, cultist activities, land disputes clashes, communal clashes, chieftaincy issues, assassinations and youths restiveness. To curb these countless security challenges, a robust posture in what the unit has always maintained”
The military operation was successfully launched and our sources, The PUNCH, learnt that South-East governors and some selected Igbo leaders would be meeting on in Enugu to discuss the crippling effects of the sit-at-home and the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal Government.
