Reps Move To Halt Army’s Planned Operation Positive Identification
The House of Representatives Tuesday resolved to beam its searchlights on the moves by the Nigeria Army to embark on a nationwide exercise code-named Operation Positive Identification (OPI).
The lawmakers mandated the Abdulrazak Namdas-led committee on Army to meet with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, on the issue and report back to the House.
Leading debate on general principles of the motion, Elumelu noted that if the Army should go ahead with the exercise, it would lead to possible militarization of Nigeria.
He further noted that the exercise if not stopped would lead to infringement on fundamental right of Nigerians as enshrined in the constitution.
According to Elumelu, if allowed to take place, the exercise would downgrade innocent Nigerians to suspects and conquered people in their own land as well as lead to abuses and serious security issues.
He argued that the exercise would also amount to imposition of state of emergency across the country by the army.
The Deputy Minority leader, Mr. Tobi Okechukwu, who spoke in the same vein, argued that the exercise was not part of the mandate of the army but that of other security agencies such as the police and the Department of Security Service (DSS), among others.
