Army Launches “Crocodile Smile” As #EndSARS Protest Spreads To More Cities
According to the Nigerian military, they will begin their annual Crocodile Smile exercise.
The military says it is ready to initiate “Crocodile Smile” to identify, track and “counter negative propaganda” on social media and cyberspace.
Army spokesman Musa Sagir said the exercise would begin on Tuesday.
“Exercise CROCODILE SMILE V1 is expected to begin this year from October 20 to December 31, 2020,” Sagir said.
“The exercise is deliberately intended to be comprehensive and includes a cyber war exercise designed to identify, track and counter negative propaganda on social media and cyberspace.
“This is the first cyber warfare exercise in African military history. Consequently, the exercise will also include a positive identification component aimed at identifying Boko Haram terrorists fleeing from the Northeast and other parts of the country following operations carried out in various theaters of war, especially in the Northeast, the center of the North and the Northwest. Nigeria.
“The Nigerian military reassures all well-meaning Nigerians of their commitment to maintaining peace and security in Nigeria and calls on members of the public for their support and understanding throughout the exercise.”
The exercises take place at a time when young people are walking along the streets of the country’s major cities.
During the #EndSARS campaign, protesters called for an end to police brutality.
The protest, which began in Lagos and Abuja last week, has spread to many parts of the country, most recently Kaduna.
On Saturday, thousands of demonstrators marched against insecurity and banditry in Kaduna.
Sagir announced the suspension of “Crocodile Smile” the day after the military promised to protect Nigeria’s democracy at all costs.
In response to the army’s comment, civil society groups asked the soldiers to stay in the barracks and allow people to express their rights to protest.
The Army first launched the Crocodile Smile Program in the South-South region in 2016 and has introduced interval exercise since then.
