The Nigerian Army, on Thursday, launched “Exercise Ayem Akpatuma II” (Exercise Rat Race) in Niger State in its efforts to contain perennial insecurity caused by bandits, cattle rustlers and other criminal elements across the country.
Flagging off the exercise, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Mechanised Division of the Nigeria Army, Major General Faruk Yahaya, explained that Niger State constitutes 10 percent of Nigeria’s land mass with 95 percent forest reserves, sharing common borders with Zamfara, Kebbi and Kaduna states, which have ongoing military operations against bandits.
According to him, the state was bearing the brunt of the spillover effects of the security situation in the neighbouring states.
“This is because many of the bandits fleeing the epicenter of these military operations seek sanctuary in the numerous forest reserves traversing the borders of Niger with its neighbours.
“The situation has led to an upsurge in banditry activities, kidnapping, cattle rustling, targeted assassinations and other vices in this hitherto peaceful environment,” he averred.
He noted that “Exercise Ayem Akpatuma”, which is a joint and multi-agency exercise, commenced simultaneously across North West and North Central geopolitical zones on Thursday and will last up to the month of December, adding that it was designed to halt the menace.
He explained that the exercise will be conducted in line with new Super Camp concept recently adopted in the Nigerian Army, adding that for Niger, the Super Camp will be located at Koton-koro in Mariga local government area from where forces will be deployed to other trouble areas.
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