*Recovers arms, ammunition
From Steve Oko , Umuahia
No fewer than 90 suspected criminals have been arrested in Abia State in the on-going special military operation in the South East geopolitical zone code-named Atilogwu udo 1 according to the Nigeria Army.
A statement by the Deputy Director, Army Public Relation attached to the 14 Brigade headquarters Ohafia in Abia State, Captain Iliya Dauda, said the operation had been a tremendous success in the state.
The statement said soldiers attached to sector 2 of the operation in Abia had arrested
some suspected robbers, oil bunkerers, and recovered arms and ammunition.
According to the statement, the exercise which was flagged off on November 2019 has led to significant reduction in crime rate across the zone.
The Army Deputy Spokesman said that the operation was an annual training exercise for the Nigerian Army formations and units in the South East region.
He added that the exercise was also aimed at checkmating activities of kidnappers, robbers, secessionists and other criminal elements in the region particularly during the yuletide season.
The statement said the suspects which also included child/human traffickers, drug peddlers among others had already been handed over to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for prosecution.
It read in part : “Troops of Headquarters Sector 2 during the operation has also made several recoveries of arms, ammunition and vehicles used to commit various crimes.
” The troops have continued to demonstrate their commitment and professionalism by ensuring that tasks were being carried out without any issue of human right violation and abuses.
” In a show of appreciation to this laudable efforts various civil society groups and communities have visited the Nigerian Army Super Camp Nsulu, which is the exercise headquarters to show solidarity.
“Several testimonies have also proven that criminality has been reduced to a barest minimum within the time of this exercise in Abia State”.
The Army commended Abia residents for their support during the exercise and further implored them “to provide timely information that would help troops respond more efficiently to issues.”
According to the statement, criminal elements and not law abiding citizens are the targets of the special operations.
It therefore, urged all law abiding citizens in the state to go about their normal businesses without fear of molestation from any quota.
