Ahead of its commencement, the Nigerian army has released call lines, social media handles dedicated for Operation Python Dance also known as ‘Exercise Egwu Eke II.’
The army said the operation will take off fully in the South-east from September 15 to October 2017 to check criminal agitators and other forms of criminal activities.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Deputy Director, Public Relations, 82 Division of the Army, Musa Sagir said the operation would cover states in the South-east and South-south. He listed the states to include Cross River, Enugu, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo state.
Mr. Sagir called on residents in the states to cooperate with the Army and volunteer information to assist the troops. He said the commanders of the operation could be contacted via the following:
Email address: egwueke2@gmail.com
Facebook account’s name: Egwu Eke II
Twitter handle: @egwueke2
“In addition to the Nigerian Army Information and Call Centre Telephone Number 193 (Using all Networks toll free) and Human Right Desk Number 08160134303, the under listed cell phones numbers are also hereby provided as dedicated public telephone numbers to members of the public who might have reason to pass credible information or reasonable complaints to various Commanders of Exercise EGWU EKE 11:
Sector 1 (Abia State) Commander – 08023445961/07065013133.
Sector 2 (Imo State) Commander – 07030803546.
Sector 3 (Enugu State) Commander – 08023634672.
Sector 4 (Anambra State) Commander – 07037055354.
Sector 5 (Ebonyi State) Commander – 07039833547/08180605871.
Sector 6 (Cross River State) Commander – 08033865572”, the statement read.
The Nigerian army during a show of force in Umuahia, Abia state capital on Sunday fired warning shots as citizens, presumed to be members of IPOB, confronted them with sticks and stones as the soldiers paraded the streets.
The soldiers also clashed with supporters of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu as they attempted to place him on house arrest.
The incident has sparked tension across the state, prompting Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to declare a three-day dusk-to-dawn curfew in the state.
The operation has received kicks from stakeholders in the region.
The South-east Senate Caucus described the operation as ill-conceived which was capable of jeopardising their ongoing engagement with the Nnamdi Kanu-led separatist movement, IPOB.
The Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, also demanded the withdrawal of the troops from the region, saying their presence would raise the level of tension it said already exists in the country.