The Nigerian Army has said that the military exercise captioned Operation Crocodile Smile is specially designed for the challenges in the South West even as pan Yoruba groups kick against the operation.
Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Sani Usman said the exercise was not targeted at Nigerians based on ethnicity but due to a need to further secure the country.
Usman said, “Let me tell you. I made reference to Operation Crocodile Smile, because there is so much mischief and misinformation in respect of Exercise Egwu Eke II. What we are saying is that the exercise is not targeted at any particular ethnic group or a group of persons.
In a telephone interview with Punch, Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin condemned the initiative.
He said, “There is no basis for it (troops deployment), there is peace in the South-West and calm in the South-South as of now except there are fifth columnists within the administration who just want to provoke crisis where there is none.
“If they say they are looking for kidnappers, even in the South-West, where they say they want to deploy troops, it was the police that arrested the notorious kidnapper, Evans. They arrested him without firing shots or carrying out any major operation, they simply used intelligence and arrested him.
“If there should be any crime that the military want to curb, it is the police that should do it. There is no need for any Operation Python Dance, they should go and dance in the North-East where Boko Haram killed an Imam and others in Borno a few days ago,” Afenifere admonished.