Army: Baga under our control, says ‘Python to dance nationwide’

The Nigerian Army on Friday declared that it never lost  control of Baga town in northern Borno, as against reports that Boko Haram insurgents overran the area.
Maj.-Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, the Chief of Training and Operations  made the clarifications in Maiduguri while fielding questions shortly after unveiling new military operations in the northeast.
He spoke on behalf of Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff.
Adeosun said that the gallant troops successfully repelled the insurgents’ attack and secured Baga and its environs.
According to him, the insurgents had on Wednesday unleashed a  coordinated attack on a military base in the town but the gallant troops repelled and pursued the insurgents.
“We have taken control of Baga. I am talking about the position of Baga as at yesterday when we stabilised the situation.
“Baga is not in the hands of the Boko Haram insurgents; I repeat Baga is not in the hands of the Boko Haram terrorists, they contested and lost.”
Confusing reports earlier indicated that Boko Haram insurgents had overrun the fishing town on Nigeria’s  border with Chad and Niger Republics, and hoisted their flags, a situation which forced the inhabitants to flee.
Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Sani Kukasheka Usman, said the insurgents on Wednesday Dec. 26, 2018; attacked the 7 Brigade, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), based  in the town at about 7:00 pm.
“The troops along with their Nigerian Navy counterparts put up a very determined fight to repel the attack throughout the night, while Sector 3 Operation LAFIYA DOLE sent in reinforcement who are in hot pursuit of the terrorists.
“Similarly, a Search and Rescue team has been constituted.
“The Nigerian Air Force component has also been mobilised and are engaging the fleeing terrorists. Unfortunately; a naval personnel was killed in action.”
The Army also declared that it would conduct exercise “Egwu Eke III’’ – Python dance nationwide, to tackle already “observed upsurge’’ in security challenges as the 2019 general elections draw nearer.
According to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, who announced this at a news conference on Friday in Maiduguri, the exercise will be conducted from January 1 to February 28, 2019.
The 2019 general elections are due to commence with the Presidential and National Assembly elections slated for February 16.
Represented by Maj.-Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, the Chief of Training and Operations, Buratai identified those threats as stockpiling of arms by criminal groups, formation of ethnic militia and violence induced by political activities.
The army had in 2016 and 2017 conducted exercise Egwu Eke I and II to address peculiar security challenges in the South- East geo-political zone, particularly during Yuletide.
“These challenges coupled with other security threats across the country such as terrorism, militancy, kidnapping and banditry portend that dissident group and criminal elements could cash in on the situation to perpetrate large scale violence before, during and after the 2019 general elections,’’ he said.
According to the army chief, the Nigerian army troops need to be prepared and equipped with requisite skills in order to professionally and effectively respond to these challenges and security threats in collaboration with the Nigerian Police and other para-military oganisations.
Responding to question why Egwu Eke III is being conducted nationwide and not restricted to the South-East in line with its code name, Buratai said there is python everywhere.
“Even in the desert of Borno, don’t forget, the Lake Chad basin is there, python can also dance within the desert.
“In fact, we have desert python, so python will dance all over the country this time around,’’ he said.
The army chief explained that the success of the exercise Egwu Eke I and II in checkmating security threats in the South- East informed its simultaneous implementation across the country now.
Buratai called on Nigerians to provide the army and other security agencies with useful and timely information to enable them to deliver on the mandate of exercise Egwu Eke III.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the army to fight against terrorism and insurgency in the country.