Obaland Magazine Learnt that the Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo has pointed to “Exercise Golden Dawn”, an initiative of the Nigerian Armed Forces, to stem the tide of insecurity in the state.
The governor carried the banner at the 34th Artillery Brigade Forward Operating Base in the Orlu Local Government Area in the state on Wednesday.
Speaking at the event, Uzodimma said the three-month exercise would help restore sanity to the state before the yuletide.
She commended state security agencies for her vision in creating the Center to address the peculiar nature of the security situation in the Southeast and Imo in particular.
She thanked the Chief of the Army Staff, Lieutenant General. Farouk Yahaya, and all the officers and soldiers of the 34th Artillery Brigade, Obinze, near Owerri for their sacrifices to ensure a peaceful IMO.
She urged law enforcement agencies to continue consolidating the progress made so far to curb the activities of criminals and pledged her support for the agencies.
According to him, the exercise would create an enabling environment for people to conduct their legal business activities without fear of abuse.
“This is a special period and season in the lives of the people of the Southeast, who are predominantly Christians returning for the celebration of Christmas, which generally lasts from October to December.
“This exercise will go a long way toward improving the security situation in our geopolitical zone, giving our people a sense of security and encouraging our brothers and sisters residing abroad to return home without fear,” she said.
Earlier, in a welcoming address, the Commander of the 34th Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Brig.-Gen. Utsaha explained that all security agencies participated in the exercise.
He said the exercise aimed to “build on the achievements recorded so far on the threat of the outcast Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and its Eastern Security Network (ESN).”
He reported that the troops involved in the exercise would remain stationed in Orlu for the rest of the year to ensure that socio-economic activities in the area and in Imo, in general, continued to develop unhindered.
The highlights of the event were the governor’s inspection of the honour guard and the tour of the Super Camp, where he was briefed in the Information Center and the Operations Room, respectively.
The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) reports that the event was attended by the Commander of the Nigerian Navy Faculty of Finance and Logistics, Owerrinta, in Abia, Navy Captain N. U Bugaje.
Also in attendance were Nigerian Air Force 211 Rapid Response Group Commander Owerri, Group Captain Idowu Ayo, Imo Police Commissioner CP Hussein Rabiu and heads of other security agencies in the state.