By Sumaila Ogbaje/Modupe Oremule
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, says the super camp concept adopted to tackle activities of insurgents and other criminal activities in the country has yielded the desired results.
Buratai stated this in an interview with newsmen during an operational visit to Tarkwa Bay super camp on Sunday in Lagos.
He said that the troops have had a better understanding of using the super camp approach to tackle the myriad of security challenges confronting the country.
Buratai said that the decision to adopt the approach was based on the threat analysis and evaluation of the challenges that the troops had encountered in operating along the conventional approach.
“Luckily, we are achieving a lot and as you can see, with the renewed zeal of our officers and men, not only in the northeast but across the country.
“This exercise Crocodile Smile as well as Ayem Akpatuma and Atilogwu Udo, are being operated along with this concept of the super camp.
“We are happy that the results that are coming out are quite encouraging and we will continue to develop on this concept.
“But the greatest result that we are receiving is in the northeast,” he said.
According to Buratai, the concept has completely changed the troops’ mode of operation, increased their confidence and has given them the ability to project and reach up to the terrorist’s hideouts.
He added, “It has given more confidence to the people there because people are getting more confident and it is quite encouraging”.
The Army chief said that the army would continue with the concept, develop it further to make it more formidable, stronger and explore all its advantages.
He pledged to expand it further for the benefit of its operations and the synergy with other security agencies and the sister services.
According to him, the Nigerian army has been able to enhance civil-military cooperation through the various exercises being undertaken across the country.
He said that exercise Crocodile Smile (IV) and other exercises like Ayem Akpatuma, Atilogwu Udo among others, emphasized activities like medical outreach, educational support to schools and community services.
“This will improve the relationship between the army and the public for them to give us maximum support, cooperation and maximum information that we will require to develop into intelligence.
“The assessment of this exercise Crocodile Smile (IV) is quite encouraging.
“It is an improvement to the previous ones from the outreach, the comment by the people and the impact on the troops both in Lagos and Ogun States.”
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Army Chief visited the Troop Operation room, Information Centre and the Tarkwa Bay Bunkers as well the community clinic were troops had engaged in medical outreach.
