Nigerian Troops Dismantle IPOB Camps, Seize Weapons, and Apprehend Suspects in South-East

Nigerian military forces, operating under the Joint Task Force South-East’s “Operation UDO KA,” have conducted a series of successful clearance operations targeting camps belonging to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). The operations resulted in the apprehension of two suspected terrorists and the recovery of a significant cache of weapons and other items.

According to a statement released on Sunday in Enugu by the task force’s spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Jonah Unuakhalu, troops executed a raid on December 5, 2024, at an IPOB/ESN camp in Uhuala-Aku, located in the Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State. Acting on credible intelligence, the troops encountered armed individuals who fled into the surrounding forest under the pressure of superior firepower.

Recovered items from the camp included one G3 rifle, two pump-action rifles, three Dane guns, a locally-fabricated pistol, an MG belt, two AK-47 magazines, 12 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, and five rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition. Also seized were a sack containing a human skull, a Toyota Hilux vehicle, six radio chargers, 20 car keys, and one Boafeng radio. The troops destroyed 26 makeshift shelters within the camp.

In a separate operation, troops from Sector 2 arrested two suspects linked to criminal activities in the Okposi community of Ebonyi State. They recovered two locally-fabricated pistols, nine live cartridges, and one motorcycle during the operation.

Meanwhile, Sector 1 troops, working in conjunction with the Department of State Services, raided another IPOB/ESN camp in Agu Orba Ekwegbe, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State. During this raid, security forces recovered two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), a single-barrel gun, 12 rifles under construction, two single revolver pistols, 10 pistols under construction, two pistol magazines, and 335 rounds of 7.62mm by 51mm live ammunition. Other items seized included 12 pump-action rifle cartridges, 11 empty cartridges, 21 pairs of military desert boots, eight military raincoats, three IPOB/ESN flags, a first-aid kit, six cutlasses, two knives, and bags of rice and garri. The camp was subsequently destroyed.

Major-General Hassan Dada, the force commander of the task force, urged citizens in the region to prioritize dialogue as a means of maintaining peace and stability. The military emphasized its commitment to securing the South-East and dismantling threats to national security.