The Nigerian Army launched Exercise Clean Sweep in Lagos to clean the remnants of unexploded bombs at the Ikeja Cantonment.
Ninety three unexploded ordinances has so far been recovered at the Ikeja cantonment scene of the exercise clean sweep.
Addressing newsmen at the media center at 9 brigade of the Nigerian army, the Coordinator of the exercise, and the director explosives search and disposal headquarters Nigerian army engineers Colonel Abdulrazaq Olapeju Kazeem, said it is important members of the public are carried along during the clearance of the bomb site.
The exercise which began on Tuesday would involve the mobilization of engineers’ plants and other necessary equipment according to the Army.
It also flagged off ‘Exercise Still Water III’ in Ibafo, on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway to intensify security and surveillance operations.
Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff, said at the start of ‘Exercise Clean Sweep’ at the Ikeja Cantonment that lessons were learned from the January 28, 2002, tragic incident that also resulted in massive property loss, and that the Army had resolved not to allow a repeat of such in any of its cantonments.
According to the COAS, “ Twenty-one years later, the losses we suffered are still fresh in our memories. In the aftermath of the blast, lives were lost, properties were destroyed, blame was assigned, inquiries were made, and lessons were learned”.
However, he disclosed that the Nigerian Army had earlier conducted necessary clearance operations at the site of the explosion, which led to the recovery and disposal of the majority of unexploded Explosive Ordnance left behind.
