The Nigeria Army said the increased crime rate in the Country has urged them to step-up policing duty as they launch “Operation Crocodile Smile” in Lagos.
Speaking at the Takwa Bay Island in Lagos, Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai said the ‘Order of Battle’ 2016 provides men who are trained in the combat of land and water to keep the Coastal area of Lagos safe.
“A detachment of Nigerian Army has since been stationed on the island; more army presence will also be felt soon on the island and other parts of the country in line with the 2016 Order of Battle as fund becomes available.”
The operation is to be simultaneously launched in the South-West and South-South areas of the country and will graduate to a real time operation to get rid of criminals off the area.
The COAS pointed out that the first phase of the operation which was launched in 2016 at Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Imo and Rivers States has yielded good results.
He said, the criminals, which the operation has succeeded in chasing from Niger Delta areas, have scattered around the country, hence the need for the operation to continue in other part of the Country.
According to him the success of the operation includes degraded activities of militants and illegal oil bunkering, destruction of kidnappers’ den and rescue of kidnapped victims, destruction of cultists’ camps, among others.
Buratai also said Crocodile Smile in Lagos and Ogun States will go after pipeline vandals, cultists, and other criminals who have been terrorizing Ikorodu, Ishawo and Arepo areas of Lagos and Ogun States.
He said that civil military relations activities such as medical outreach and renovation of social amenities to impact on the host communities have also been incorporated into the exercise package, adding that the exercise will be conducted with the support of other security agencies.
The Operation Crocodile Smile will start from Oct. 7-28 and will be carried out by troops of the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army.
