Combined troops of 82 Division Nigerian Army, sister Services, Nigeria Police and other security agencies have successfully raided hideouts and training camps belonging to Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and and its armed wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Orsomoghu Forest spanning Anambra and Imo States.
Director Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen, Onyema Nwachukwu in a statement issued Tuesday said the raid was part of ongoing operations to deter enforcement of the illegal sit at home declared by IPOB/ESN.
He said the raid operation was carried out on Monday, when troops were alerted to the violent activities of the irredentist group enforcing the illegal 2 weeks sit-at-home order in Onitsha, Nnewi and Iheme Obosi in Anambra State, as well as New Market in Enugu state.
Nwachukwu noted: “During the raid operations, the troops cleared IPOB camps in Ekeututu, Orsomoghu, Lilu and Mother Valley camps of the dissidents. Troops came in contact with the group’s armed fighters, who detonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) also known as Ogbunigwe and fired using locally fabricated mortar tube.
“The valiant troops however overpowered the irredentist group in the firefight, compelling them to abandon their position as they fled with gunshot wounds into nearby bushes.”
Nwachukwu added that further cordon and search of the hideouts by the troops, led to the arrest of five fleeing members of the group and recovery of one IPOB flag, one CCTV camera and two detonated IED bombs and a fabricated mortar tube.
He noted that five soldiers and two Nigeria Police operatives sustained varying degrees of injuries from the IED detonated by the criminals.
Nwachukwu said Nigerian Army encourages all law-abiding citizens of the South East to continue to support ongoing operations with actionable information and to disregard the unlawful 2 weeks sit-at-home order by going about their normal daily activities and businesses.
He stressed that Nigerian Army in synergy with sister services and security agencies will undauntedly continue to protect and safeguard lives and property of the good and enterprising people of South East Nigeria, within the ambit of the law and the rules of engagement.