32 Residents Arrested in Enugu as Police Launch Statewide Crackdown on Alleged IPOB/ESN Members

The Enugu State Police Command has arrested 32 residents in a series of early-morning raids across the state, alleging they are members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). According to police sources, the arrests were made during coordinated operations on May 2 between 3:10 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. in various communities including Mmaku, Ugbo Afam, Ugo Nenwe, and the Ugbonabo axis.

Authorities said the operation was launched based on intelligence linking the suspects to a recent attack on a police patrol team from the Mbanabo Division. The Enugu State Commissioner of Police deployed the Commander of the Distress Response Squad to lead the operation, supported by personnel from the SWAT unit, Counter Terrorism Unit, Police Mobile Force, and other tactical teams.

Among those detained are ten individuals police describe as “high-profile suspects” allegedly connected to previous attacks on law enforcement, including incidents at the Awgu Divisional Headquarters and a patrol team from Inyi Division. Officials confirmed that investigations are underway to determine the level of involvement of each suspect, and those found culpable will face prosecution.

The police say the operation is part of broader efforts to dismantle criminal networks and restore public safety across the state.

The development comes amid growing scrutiny of police tactics in the region. Just days earlier, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) condemned the police for allegedly abducting a man and his three daughters during a late-night raid in Abia State. In a statement signed by Executive Director Okechukwu Nwanguma, the organisation described the act as a “gross abuse of power” and a violation of fundamental human rights.

According to the victim’s wife, Chioma Chikadibia, five armed men stormed their family home in Alaukwu village, Osisioma Ngwa LGA, around 11 p.m. on April 12, 2025, and took her husband, Mr. Chikadibia Sunday, and their daughters, who have reportedly been held incommunicado since.