Nigerian military launches "operation positive identification" to demand identity cards from citizens across the country.
Nigerians say the operation will victimise citizens rather than combating the nation's security challenges.
The Nigerian army says it is currently engaging in a nationwide operation - “Operation Positive Identification” - to combat crimes and threats.
In a recent statement issued by Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, the Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator said the operation is part of efforts at combating the threats of criminal insurgency and terrorism, armed banditry, kidnapping, herdsmen-farmers clashes, cultism, and communal crises, amongst others.
The Nigerian military urged Nigerians not “to panic on seeing an increased presence of military personnel and other security agencies as well as the movement of military vehicles and hardware.”
Here are things you need to know about the Military operation across Nigeria:
- Operation POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION will hold across the nation during the last days in 2019 to check bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, ethnic militia, cattle rustlers, and others.
- The exercise which started on the 7th of October will run till the 24th of December 2019.
- During the operation, the Nigerian Army Women Corps will stage a robust show of force/confidence building patrols in some selected locations in Nigeria.
- The troops will operate mostly on the streets and highways.
- Nigerians are urged to maintain situational alertness and avoid night travels if possible.
- Wear and carry an identity card always.
Nigerians react
Cross-section of Nigerians on Twitter descried the operation as an infringement on the rights of Nigerians and urged the military to put a stop to it.
How effective in fighting crime is stopping people on the road and demanding a valid ID? Did it work in the Northeast, and what is the assurance that it would work nationwide?
— Tolu Toluwa (@teetoelz) October 29, 2019
The worrisome ambiguity of the Army’s ‘Operation Positive Identification’ https://t.co/PulswmB5Fu
It’s time you begin to ask yourself if we have legislators. This clearly doesn’t show we have represention and the National expense on the Legislative arm of government is a National waste. If this operation is executed kiss your democracy goodbye. #AnarchyLooms pic.twitter.com/2dnav8MKix
— SEGA L'éveilleur (@segalink) October 29, 2019
Operation Positive Identification.
— Ayò Bánkólé (@AyoBankole) October 29, 2019
Militarisation begins. Plain and simple. If this flies, then we are in big big trouble. Even countries at war don't militarise the entire country and clamp down on freedom of movement except with prison (valid) IDs. How did we get here oh Lord?
The people's summation is that the operation will victimise the people rather than combating the nation's security challenges.
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