… Our efforts geared toward peaceful yuletide – General Lawal
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BY JENNIFER JOHN / OWERRI
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Joint security forces under the auspices of “Operation Udoka” have again embarked on clearance operation at Ezioha, Mbaitolu Local Government Area of Imo State, to liberate the area from the stranglehold of bandits terrorizing it.
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Fielding questions from newsmen during the inspection visit of security commanders in the state to the troops, the Commander, 34 Artillery Brigade Obinze, Brigadier General Usman Lawal said the operation by the security agents is geared towards neutralizing the criminal activities of the bandits, so the people will have a peaceful yuletide celebrations.
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“You can see, the entire community was mined, to deter us from moving, but we carefully detonated some of the IEDs and continued. We are still operating.
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On the challenges being encountered by security agents in the course of the operation, General Lawal said, “The terrain is a challenge. The camp of B44 is neighbouring Njaba River, and it is heavily mined.
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Responding, the Chief Security Adviser to the Governor, General Joseph Ogbonna (Rtd) said the government, in collaboration with security agents will do everything to flush out the bandits and encourage the locals to come back to their homes.
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He used the medium to inform the people that soldiers are out to protect and not to harm them, calling for all hands to be on deck to eradicate the insecurity ravaging the area.
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Adding his voice, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, (CP) Aboki Danjuma said their effort was geared towards clearing the area of the presence and operations of the bandits, so the locals can return to their ancestral homes.
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He said the bandits leader, popularly known as B44 has carried out a lot of atrocities in the area, while instilling fear on the citizens.
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In his contribution, Air Commodore David Bello said the operation will be sustained. He however made it clear that the military cannot do it alone, hence the need for the locals to make their own contribution, by giving security agents the information they need, to be able to flush out the criminals from the area.
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He frowned at a situation where the people run away from security agents, but embrace the bandits.
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“You can see how this place is deserted. We want development to come to this state, but development cannot come without peace and tranquility. That is the reason we want the good people of Imo State to play their own part. As for the military, we will always employ pragmatic approach to ensure that normalcy returns to Imo State and the entire South East region of Nigeria.
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Also fielding questions from newsmen, the Commander, Naval Base Oguta, Commodore Mohammadu Salisu pointed out, “The camp of the bandits is by the riverside and they (bandits) heavily mined the entire area, but disclosed that the navy was combining effort with the Air force and other components of the security forces to carry out comprehensive clearance operations, to permanently dismantle the aggressors.
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