Youths of Apa Local Government Area in Benue State have commended the Commander and troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, along with other security agencies, for their ongoing kinetic operations aimed at ridding the council and its environs of crime and criminality.
Operating under the umbrella of the Apa Youths Progressive Vanguard, the group of young men and women based their commendation on the significant arrests of suspected kidnappers, cultists, and other criminal elements disturbing the peace and security of the council.
In a statement signed by the National President, John Odaudu, and National Secretary, Sunday Ebo, the youth group expressed regret over the death of one Ochowechi Ernest Owoicho, who, investigations revealed, was suspected to be the leader of a deadly cult group in the council.
The youth vanguard further clarified that Ernest was neither beaten nor tortured during interrogation by troops of Operation Whirl Stroke.
“According to our independent findings, Ernest was a sickle cell patient, and his death at the council’s General Hospital does not suggest torture or anything close to it, as there were no visible marks to validate such narratives being peddled in some quarters,” the statement read.
The group, therefore, called on the general public to remain calm in the face of the ongoing military operations, which are executed with strict adherence to the rules of engagement in armed conflicts.
They maintained that the significant number of kidnappers killed, along with the arrests of cultists and other criminals, was proof that the troops knew their targets and were focused on denying them freedom of action within the Apa general area.
The statement continued: “We have noted with concern attempts by some misguided individuals to demoralize the military through a sponsored campaign of human rights abuse and the alleged killing of a youth (Ernest).”
“We boldly state that Operation Whirl Stroke, in all its operations, adheres to the standard operating procedure (SOP), rules of engagement, and other manuals issued by the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) in the prosecution of armed conflicts.
“To this end, we call on all well-meaning Apa sons and daughters, young and old, to rally support for our troops, whose sustained efforts have yielded positive outcomes.”
The youth group further said that independent investigations revealed that scores of kidnappers operating along the Apa/Agatu axis had been killed, dozens had been apprehended, and many others had fled the general area.
While regretting the unfortunate incident, the group called on the public to see the larger picture, which is the protection of lives and property, the restoration of security, peace, and public safety.
“We insist that the ongoing clampdown on criminal elements is in the collective interest of our people, and all hands must be on deck to ensure its overall success.
“Our troops receive the best training and professionalism, and they understand the importance of identifying, isolating, and engaging criminal elements during internal security operations of this nature.”
The youth group emphasized that the glory of Apa land, known for its hospitality, peaceful coexistence, industry, and rich tradition, must be restored through legitimate means, as exemplified in the ongoing kinetic operations.
The group also highlighted that security now requires a whole-of-society approach, urging everyone to support the military and other security agencies in their efforts to rid Apa and its surroundings of criminal elements who are solely focused on violence.
Meanwhile, the group has tasked the Apa Local Government chairman, Adams Ochega Ogwola, to take a more active role in providing the needed assistance, including mobilizing human intelligence (HUMINT), to ensure the success of the ongoing operations.
“We call on the executive chairman of our dear council to assert his authority as the chief security officer of Apa Local Government, with the power to galvanize actionable information for our military.
“No doubt, the chairman has been doing his best, but we are using this opportunity to encourage him to do more, especially in the area of curbing cultism, which seems to be on the rise in our land.”
“We urge the council boss to establish, or provide the resources for, communities and clans to set up neighborhood security platforms to monitor the movements and activities of strangers.
“The idea is to gather real-time local intelligence while also providing round-the-clock surveillance in the respective communities that constitute Apa council, including border areas.”
