CHIEF of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Burutai visited Benue yesterday and flagged off operation cat race otherwise known as “Ayem Akpatuma”.
Burutai earlier in the day paid a courtesy call on the state governor, Samuel Ortom where he explained that cat race was not really an army operation but a joint Military training exercise.
He stated that the exercise would help familiarise the Military troops with the challenge of internal security adding that it was a joint exercise with other security services, particularly, police, SSS and other paramilitary organizations.
He assured of the immediate restoration of peace in the state, stressing that the exercise would cover the whole state.
The chief of army staff further said that the cat race has become necessary with the rise in criminal cases like armed robbery, banditry, kidnapping herdsmen and farmers clashes across the country
According to him, “I am not going to trace the history of the challenge that parts of the country are facing, by and large, it is our hope and expectations that at the end of the exercise, things will be normalized. This is a way of contributing our own quotas to ensure that we support the civil authority and ensure that peace is restored in the country”, Burutai stressed.
He, however, solicited the support of the people of Benue during the exercise stating that the objectives of the exercise would be achieved at the end.
Responding, Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom appreciated President Buhari for the deployment of soldiers to the state to help address the security challenges facing the state.
Ortom expressed optimism that the exercise would assist in restoring peace and normalcy to the affected areas in the state which he said allow displaced persons return to their ancestral homes.
” Let me state clearly here that the law on Anti open grazing is a win-win thing, not target any particular group but meant protect both Farmers and Herdsmen.”
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“It is our believe that the army will use the Ayem Akpatuma dance exercise to bring peace to state just they have used operation python dance and other exercises to restore peace and normalcy in some parts of the country that had similar security challenges”, Ortom stated.
The chief of army staff later proceeded to Mbabegya in Guma local government area to flag off the exercise.
Among the attendees was Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Yahaya Bello of Kogi state and deputy governor of Nasarawa State, Mr Silas Agara as well as Senator George Akume.