Group hails Nigerian army, says Exercise Cat Race already yielding positive results

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- The ongoing Exercise Cat Race in Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa and Kogi states are yielding positive results, a group has said

- According to the group, the Nigerian army is making concerted efforts to rid the region of killer herdsmen

- It commended the Nigerian army for remaining apolitical and true to its mandate at all times

The Middle Belt Patriotic Assembly has said that the ongoing military exercise is Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa and Taraba is already yielding results.

The group during a press conference in Lafia, Nasarawa state capital city on Wednesday, February 28, said the exercise in a short space of time is yielding good results.

The coordinator of the group, Omenge Frederick, while speaking to journalists said the conference was to evaluate the exercise that was recently launched by the chief of army staff, Tukur Buratai, to tackle the menace of herdsmen/farmers clashes, armed banditry and cattle rustling across the state.

Frederick however said while the army is making concerted efforts to rid the region of killer herdsmen, some politicians are making attempts to drag the army into politics which he said is beyond the scope of exercise Ayem Akpatuma.

Exercise Cat Race yielding positive results - Middle Belt group

The group also said the Nigerian army has remain apolitical and true to its mandate at all times. Photo credit: Chris Oko

He said the Nigerian army has remain apolitical and true to its mandate at all times. He said individuals especially the Benue and Adamawa state governments need to set a good example by not dragging politics into security issue raving the states.

Frederick said all stakeholders must understand that the military as a national institution doesn’t yield to individual concerns of political actors but that which benefit the overall interest of the country.

He said: "Whereas the Governor is free to make his statement anywhere in a democracy, the Middle Belt Patriotic Assembly considers the comments as a clear breach of the constitution and an attempt to drag the Nigerian army into the politics surrounding issues between herdsmen/farmers in the state.

"We therefore wish to warn the Benue state governor to spare the military of any interference in the internal affairs of the State whilst allowing the Army to concern itself strictly with the Exercise Cat Dance which was inaugurated to flush out criminal elements from the state.

"There is no doubt that the exercise is already yielding its desire goals as conceived by the chief of army staff, Lieutenant General TY Buratai, and is being carried out by troops patriotically."

Frederick noted that after the assessment, the group concluded the conclusion that the military is doing a good job in Benue state and other parts of the country where “Exercise Cat Race" is currently taking place.

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NAIJ.com earlier reported the troops of 101 special forces battalion on the Exercise Cat Race responded to a distress call in Numan local government area of Adamawa state.

The Nigerian army said the swift reaction by the troops led to the rescue of the village from destruction as some notorious herdsmen set the area ablaze.

The army spokesperson, Texas Chukwu, said the troops trailed the herdsmen and arrested 6 of them at Garigiji village while trying to escape.

Victims of herdsmen killing buried in Benue state on NAIJ.com TV