Operation 'Python Dance' Not All About IPOB, MASSOB — Army Says

The Nigerian military yesterday said that its exercise python dance is not targeted at the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualization for Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) as being speculated. In a statement made available to newsmen yesterday in Awka and signed by the Deputy Director Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Colonel Sagir Musa, the army said the fear being expressed by some people about the development was unfounded.

Musa said that similar operations had earlier been launched in other parts of the country. He added that the exercise was launched based on recent security challenges, not only in Igbo land, but the entire country.

The statement from the army read in part: “Exercise PYTHON DANCE is not targeted at any individual or group of people. “It is purely a Command Post and Field Training Exercises, as a way of enhancing troops preparedness across spectrum of contemporary security challenges peculiar to the South East Region. “For emphasis and clarity, Exercise PYTHON DANCE is not targeted at MOSSOB/IPOB or any individual or group”

“It is only a Field Training Exercise that is designed to where necessary dovetail into real time activities, such as anti-kidnapping drills, patrols, raids, cordon and search, check points, road locks and show of force.

Culled From The Nation.