Timothy Olanrewaju Maiduguri
The Nigerian Army has launched a three-month military operation named Operation Crocodile Smile VI across the country.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, while launching the operation at the Army Special Forces Super Camp, Ngamdu Borno State on Saturday, said the three months Exercise Crocodile Smile VI will take off fully on Tuesday 20th October and end on to 30th December.
“Exercise Crocodile Smile VI is scheduled to start from 20th October to 31st December 2020. The exercise is to checkmate scourge of crimes and criminality as the end of year approaches,” Buratai who was represented by Army Chief of Training and Operations, Maj Gen Nuhu Angbazo disclosed.
The army chief said the successes recorded in previous operations especially the concluded exercise Harein Kunama and Crocodile V encouraged the army to kick-start Operation Crocodile VI to identify Boko Haram terrorists and other criminal elements.
“The exercise is also planned to include the conduct of cyber security awareness centre to detect and identify malicious posts, fake news, illegal recruitment camps and internet hackers, hostile cyber space in defence of our national security and critical infrastructure,” he explained.
He said the army included cyber warfare in the operation, the first ever special cyber crimes war by the Nigerian Army. He said each army unit and formation across the country was expected to start the operation.