Army launches Exercise Crocodile Smile II in Lagos

Nigerian Army said on Friday the increase in crimes in coastal areas of the country prompted it to step up training and operations in the amphibious environment.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, stated this at Takwa Bay Island in Lagos State when he launched “Exercise Crocodile Smile II.”
According to him, the “Order of Battle” 2016 provides for amphibious battalion in the island to keep the coastal area of Lagos State safe.
He said: “A detachment of Nigerian Army has since been stationed on the island; more army presence would also be felt soon on the island and other parts of the country in line with the 2016 Order of Battle as fund becomes available.”

The army chief recalled that the first phase of the exercise which took place between August and September 2016 in Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Imo and Rivers states recorded tremendous success.
He said it degraded activities of militants and illegal oil bunkerers, destruction of kidnappers’ den and rescue of kidnapped victims and destruction of cultists’ camps, among others.
Buratai, however, said the success of Exercise Crocodile Smile I in those states pushed some criminal elements to other parts of the country, thus necessitating “readjustment” of area of operation of the second phase in 2017.
He added that it was in that regard that the exercise was being conducted in the South South and South West regions.