The army yesterday flagged off the Operation Python Dance III in Lagos to tackle violence before, during and after the forthcoming general elections.
It warned criminals to either stay away or be consumed by pythons.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai stated this yesterday evening in Lagos at the flag-off of the exercise.
He said the exercise would be conducted within Lagos and Ogun States from January to March.
According to him, the army and other security agencies were bent on stamping out bandits, rustlers, terrorists, kidnappers, robbers and militants in the country.
He said the exercise would among other things, address the issue of fake news and unpatriotic elements impeding military operations and demoralising forces at the expense of national security. He said the exercise had no political undertone.
He said: “This is another historic and important event geared towards reassuring law abiding citizens and Nigerians in general of the resolve of the NA to provide adequate security and safety even as the nation approaches the 2019 general elections,” he said.