Army warns IPOB, MASSOB, others on national security

The Nigerian Army on Friday told agitators in the Southeast to keep the peace.

It vowed to deal with any act capable of breaching the peace of the region.

The army didn’t mention any group by name but the Nnamdi kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) have been holding rallies to demand a Republic of Biafra.

The IPOB has also threatened to stop the November 18 governorship election in Anambra State from taking place.

But the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, while speaking on the forthcoming second phase of Exercise Egwu Eke II (Python Dance II) in the Southeast, said on no account would kidnapping, cultism, violent agitations, theft of weapons, armed banditry and other security challenges which have become a daily phenomenon in the area be condoned henceforth.

The military operation is scheduled to commence on September 15, according to Buratai who spoke through the Chief of Training and Operations, Nigerian Army Headquarters, Major General David Ahmadu.

It will run for a month and involve raids, cordon and search, anti-kidnapping drills, road blocks, check points and show of force, as well as humanitarian activities such as medical outreach.

Buratai said Exercise Egwu Eke II has become expedient in view of “the mindless assassinations (even in religious places), attack on security personnel, theft of weapons, armed banditry, kidnapping, cultism and violent agitations, as well as other security challenges that have recently become prevalent in the Southeast part of the country.”