The 12 Brigade Nigerian Army has alerted residents of Kogi State, particularly those around Shettima, Zango and its environs, not to panic when they hear gunshots or notice heavy movement of troops and equipment during the period.
This is because the unusual sounds and movement signals the commencement of its First Annual Range Classification Exercise for the year 2026 at the Chari Maigumeri shooting range in Lokoja scheduled to hold from 30th March to 2nd April 2026, to sharpen the shooting skills of officers and soldiers.
The Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations, 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, in a statement said that the exercise will help ascertain the serviceability of weapons within the units, in order to effectively combat banditry and other security challenges in the Brigade’s Area of Responsibility.
He therefore advised locals to stay away from the shooting range area throughout the duration of the exercise for safety reasons.
The Brigade urged media organisations to sensitise the communities through their platforms and also appreciated if the message is translated into local languages.
The statement thanked members of the public for their usual cooperation and conveyed the warmest regards of the Commander 12 Brigade Nigerian Army and Force Commander Operation Accord III.
