Crocodile Smile not targeted at EndSARS protesters – Nigerian Army
The Nigerian Army has assuaged fears of a possible crackdown on #EndSARS protesters, by pointing out that the planned nationwide operation named, “Exercise Crocodile V1 was not targeted at the protesters. The Army had, last Saturday, fixed tomorrow as the commencement date for the exercise, which it noted, would include positive identification of individuals.
The statement announcing the operation had further disclosed plans to engage in cyber warfare, in a bid to stem what it described as “negative propaganda”. “The Exercise is deliberately intended to be all encompassing to include cyber warfare exercises designed to identify, track and counter negative propaganda in the social media and across the cyberspace”, the Army had said. But, the Army, in a statement yesterday by its spokesperson, Col. Sagir Musa, said nothing could be further from the truth.
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It said the operation was an annual one, which held between October and December. “The attention of the Nigerian Army (NA) has been drawn to some social media stuff wrongfully condemning the Army and its leadership over the announcement of Exercise Crocodile Smile VI particularly the Cyber Warfare Component of the Exercise”, the Army said. According to the Service: “This year’s Exercise Crocodile Smile is scheduled to commence from the 20th of October to the 31st of December 2020 has no relationship with any lawful protest under any guise whatsoever.
“For the records, Exercise Crocodile Smile is a yearly exercise in the NA Calendar/ Forecast of Events which traditionally holds from October to December of each year. “Thus, to now insinuate that it is an exercise meant to stifle the ongoing ENDSARS protest is to say the least highly misinformed.
Exercise Crocodile Smile VI has nothing to do with the ongoing protest and the NA has never been involved in the ongoing protest in any form whatsoever. So far, the army has acted professionally since the civil protest started over two weeks ago.”
Jadesola O
Hi, I'm Jadesola and if you've been here a while, you'll know that Ekomiami has always existed without a face. That changes now. I founded this platform in Lagos in 2018, originally as a space for entertainment and celebrity news. Over time and across continents my world grew bigger and so did my curiosity. Today, Ekomiami is what it was always quietly becoming: a home for travel, food, arts, and culture, told through the eyes of someone navigating the world from a very particular vantage point. With a background in content and media production. I write and create about the places I go, the food I find, and the experiences that make travel feel like more than a holiday. You'll find me in Bordeaux wine bars, on Albanian coastlines, in English market towns, and at restaurant tables taking notes between courses. The name "Ekomiami", "Lagos to Miami" has always been about movement, ambition, and showing up somewhere new. Seven years in, I'm stepping out from behind it. Welcome to the journey, properly.
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