By SUMAILA OGBAJE

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, on Tuesday flagged off three training exercises simultaneously across the country in an effort to ensure the protection of lives and property.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement, said the exercises are EXERCISE STILL WATERS 3, GOLDEN DAWN 3 and ENDURING PEACE 3.

Nwachukwu said that the exercises, which were designed to curb the security challenges in the South-South, South-East, South-West and North-Central, would run concurrently in the respective geopolitical zones till the end of the year.

While flagging off the exercises in Lagos, the COAS Lagbaja said that they are to combat diverse emerging security challenges peculiar to the affected geopolitical zones to mitigate the challenges associated with the last quarter of the year.

He noted that many Nigerians usually travel around the country in the spirit of the yuletide within this period, thereby necessitating the need for safe and enabling environment for citizens to go about their lawful businesses without fear or apprehension.

Lagbaja charged the troops to carry out their duties diligently within the confines of the law and stipulated codes of conduct.

According to him, army personnel should not be a problem to the citizens they are trying to protect.

The COAS also inaugurated EXERCISE CLEAN SWEEP at the Ikeja Cantonment Lagos to clear Unexploded Explosive Ordnances at the site of the unfortunate 2002 bomb blast, which occurred at the cantonment.

The army chief said the objective of the exercise was to completely disinfect the epicenter of the Ikeja bomb blast and clear it of all verified and suspected remaining Unexploded Explosive Ordnances lying around the cantonment.

He noted that the initial clearance operations ensured some degree of safety in the cantonment and its environ, but added that the recent discovery of some unexploded explosive ordnances at the site of the blast made a follow-up clearance exercise necessary.

According to him, the exercise will be conducted for 61 days.

The COAS enjoined members of the public, particularly those in Lagos and Ogun states, not to panic on sighting the movement of special military vehicles and hearing the sound of explosion during the conduct of the exercise.

He assured that appropriate safety and security measures had been put in place to guarantee an accident-free exercise.

Lagbaja added that all relevant emergency and response agencies, including the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, State Emergency Management Agency and the Medics would work in synergy to ensure successful completion of the exercise.

He expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his unflinching support to the Nigerian army in pursuit of its constitutional responsibilities.

Present at the launch of the exercises were the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Mr Tayo Ayinde and the Oba of Onigbongbo Kingdom, Oba Adeyemi Ajasa.

Also present were corps commanders, principal staff officers of the Army Headquarters, General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, and heads of security agencies in Lagos state, amongst others.

The COAS later paid a courtesy visit to the Oba of Lagos, HRM Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, and visited Headquarters 192 Battalion, Owode, Ogun State. (NAN)

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