·     ‘ Flags off ‘Exercises  Clean Sweep, Still Water III’ 

By  Evelyn Usman & Efe Onodjae

The Nigerian Army yesterday, in Lagos,  flagged off Exercise Clean Sweep, to clear remnants of unexploded bombs at the Ikeja Cantonment, 21 years after some of them exploded, killing scores of persons.

The 61 days exercise which began yesterday October 10, 2023, would involve the mobilization of engineers’ plants and other necessary equipment according to the Army.

It also flagged off  ‘Exercise Still Water III’ in Ibafo, on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway to intensify security and surveillance operations.

At the flag off of  ‘Exercise Clean Sweep’  at the Ikeja Cantonment, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja,  said lessons were learned from the January 28, 2002, tragic incident that also resulted in the colossal loss of property, adding that the Army had resolved not to allow a repeat of such in any of its cantonments again.

According to the COAS, “  Twenty-one years later, the losses we suffered are still fresh in our memories. In the aftermath of the blast, lives were lost, properties were destroyed, blame was assigned, inquiries were made, and lessons were learned”.

However, he disclosed that the Nigerian Army had earlier conducted necessary clearance operations at the site of the explosion, which led to the recovery and disposal of the majority of unexploded Explosive Ordnance left behind.

But he said, “The initial clearance operation ensured some degree of safety in the Ikeja Cantonment and its surroundings. However, the recent discovery of some Unexploded Explosive Ordnance at the site of the 2002 blast raised the need for the Nigerian Army to carry out a follow-up clearance exercise in Ikeja Cantonment and its surroundings.

“The clearance exercise nicknamed ‘EXERCISE CLEAN SWEEP’  will be held from today, (yesterday)October 10, to December 10, 2023. There will also be movements and disposal of recovered Unexploded Explosive Ordnance from Ikeja Cantonment to the Nigerian Army Range at Ajilete in Ogun State during this exercise”.

He highlighted the objectives of the exercise to include: “ totally disinfect the epicenter of the Ikeja bomb blast and clear it of all verified and suspected remaining Unexploded Explosive Ordnance. This will aid in putting the site to future safety and productive use by the Nigerian Army and the larger Ikeja community.

“ I must state that exercises of this nature are time and resource-consuming, and it has taken this long to finalize the clearance operation, not because of a lack of will but because it requires long-term planning and the acquisition of relevant expertise and equipment”.

He therefore advised Lagosians and  Ogun state residents not to panic upon sighting the movement of heavy vehicles and equipment, as well as the sound of demolition of recovered Unexploded Explosive Ordnance at the Nigerian Army Range, Ajilete in Ogun State.

The Nigerian Army according to him, “equally seeks the cooperation of relevant government agencies and parastatals in Lagos and Ogun States, such as the State Emergency Management Agencies, the Federal Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corp, Nigerian Police, and the Department of State Services, to ensure the success of this cleanup exercise.”

Speaking on the mode of operation, the  Commander, Corps of Engineers of the  Nigerian Army, Major General Philip Eromosele, disclosed that 105 truckloads of Unexploded Explosive Ordnance were recovered during an initial clearance operation carried out by the Nigerian Army Engineers, alongside other stakeholders.

He further explained that: “ Exercise Clean Sweep is organized in four phases, including Mobilization, Vegetation clearance, Search/Recovery/Disposal, and Demobilization. In line with the COAS directive, we will employ modern Explosive Ordnance Devices, EOD technology, and professional tactics, techniques and procedures to ensure the safety of lives and property in carrying out this task.

“ We have pooled relevant professionals in the Nigerian Army including EOD experts and ammunition technical personnel from the Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps, among others.

“We have also mobilized relevant sophisticated search, identification, recovery, disposal and safety equipment for the exercise. 

“The comprehensive plan for Exercise CLEAN SWEEP includes the critical roles to be played by non-military stakeholders, including the State governments, emergency management authorities, the Police, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC Federal Fire Service, FFS, Department of State Security, DSS  Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC and members of the press. The FFS and LASEMA will provide additional fire and medical services support, while the FRSC will assist in traffic control during movement to and from the Nigerian Army  Range at the disposal phase of the exercise.

“These measures are aimed at mitigating any unforeseen circumstances”, he stated.

 Flags off ‘Exercise Still Water III on Lagos/Ibadan expressway

 At the inauguration of Exercise Still Water III, at the newly-established Super Camp located in the Ibafo area of Ogun State, Lieutenant General Lagbaja informed that the operation would also begin today,  October 10, 2023, through January 5, 2023.

He explained that the operation was designed to ensure the safety of the Corridor of the Lagos/Ibadan expressway, as the yuletide season approaches.

He revealed that the Nigerian Army would conduct two additional exercises alongside Exercise Still Water III’, this year.

“These exercises are: Exercise Enduring Peace III’, in the North-Central states of Benue, Kogi, and Nasarawa, as well as the Federal Capital Territory and ‘Exercise Golden Dawn II’, in the South \East zone.

“ The primary objective of these exercises is to create a conducive environment

 for socio-economic activities during the last quarter of the year, enabling people to celebrate the season without fear. These exercises will also provide opportunities for the Nigerian Army to enhance security”, he explained.

 Lieutenant General  Lagbaja emphasized that the exercise  ‘Still  Water III’  was not a mere drill or training exercise but a real-life military operation with robust Rules of Engagement (ROE) tailored to address contemporary security challenges in the South-South and  South-West regions of the country.

 He stated that  the regions  were  faced with   “ threats such as piracy, illegal oil

 bunkering, pipeline vandalism, cultism, militancy, and other related crimes, which pose a danger to collective peace and economic activities”.

While expressing concern over the growing need for prolonged military deployments to maintain law and order in these regions due to the rising threats, he assured that the Nigerian Army “ will continue to collaborate closely with its sister services and other security agencies to ensure the peaceful, safe and secure environment our people desire.

“To the criminals out there, I say, we are determined to apprehend you”, he declared.