The Operation Python Dance launched earlier this month by the Nigerian Army in the South-East geopolitical zone to help curtail crime in the area during the Christmas period will end today, Tuesday, December 27.

Speaking in a telephone interview, the Deputy Director, Public Relations, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Colonel Sagir Musa, explained that though the exercise will end officially on December 27 as earlier indicated, troops will remain in the zone to continue with road blocks, check points and patrols.

He said: “Nigeria’s South-East has not recorded incidence of armed robbery, cultism, kidnapping, inter communal crisis, herdsmen/farmers clashed and associated violence during this Yuletide due to the on-going military exercise in the region tagged ‘Operation Python Dance’.

“These menaces are and have been the focus and targets of this exercise and have so far been effectively achieved.”

Musa noted that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Major General Adamu Abubakar, had on Sunday visited the towns in Anambra State which include Awka, Ihiala, Nnobi, Agulu, Okija and the Niger Bridge to assess the conduct of troops and the state of security.

He maintained that the traffic experienced over the years on the Head Bridge and the Asaba end of the bridge especially during the Christmas period has caused many inconveniences to the road users.

He added: “Hence, part of the target for the exercise is to checkmate the usual log jam, chaos and insecurity at the Bridge. The objective has so far been achieved.

“Since the exercise ‘Python Dance’ started, there have not been cases of gridlock and associated insecurity on the Asaba/Onitsha Bridge.”

While commending the orderliness, the disposition of combined security personnel and the manner the general public conduct themselves especially the road, he called on the public to remain security conscious and report any suspicious movements and persons to security agencies close to them.