The Nigerian military on Thursday, November 14, was given a go ahead with the Operation Positive Identification exercise in the country.
The House of Representatives that approved the military’s proposal said army should regularly brief the committee for proper assessment of the exercise.
In general, the House resolved: “That the Army can continue with the OPI but in collaboration with other relevant security agencies such as the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Police Force, who should take the lead in the identification process.
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“That a joint intelligence and monitoring team should be set up by the agencies involved in order to checkmate possible abuse of the exercise, such as extortion and assault on the people. That the Army should regularly brief the Committee on Army for proper assessment of the exercise.
“That the Nigerian Army should disengage from the areas they have successfully completed operations and allow the Police to consolidate on the gains.
“That serious and urgent attention should be given to the police in the area of training and retraining so as to equip them to curtail future insurrection or violence that may occur.”
The Herald earlier reported that operation Positive Identification would be launched nation wide by the military today, Friday, November 1. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-General Tukur Buratai, disclosed this on Thursday, October 31.
Buratai said the operation was first launched in the northeast in September, would be conducted nationwide to intercept Boko Haram insurgents who had relocated from their enclaves to other parts of the country.
Buratai, represented by the Head of Civil-Military Affairs, Army Headquarters, Major-General U.S Usman, noted that the exercise would not involve movement of troops or their presence in communities.