Nigerian Troops Dismantle IPOB/ESN Camp, Rescue Hostages, and Arrest Notorious Gunrunner

Nigerian Army troops have dismantled terrorist hideouts, arrested key operatives, and seized weapons in a series of operations aimed at eliminating threats to national security.

According to an official statement released on social media by the Nigerian Army, troops recently launched a raid on a camp of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in Enugwu Umuonyia community, located in Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State.

Facing overwhelming force during the confrontation, the suspected terrorists fled, leaving behind a cache of arms, ammunition, and logistics equipment. During the raid, the army recovered 78 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 13 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 20 live cartridges, a pump-action gun, a locally fabricated pistol, an AK-56 magazine, and six vehicles from the camp. The hideout was subsequently destroyed, and hostages were reportedly rescued from the scene.

In a separate operation on October 9, 2024, troops intercepted a notorious gunrunner during a precision stop-and-search operation along the Mangar-Bokkos road in Plateau State. The gunrunner, identified as 35-year-old Mathew Caleb, was caught with a fabricated revolver rifle, a pistol, 23 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and 2 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Caleb was reportedly on his way to deliver the weapons to buyers in Bokkos town when troops thwarted his mission.

Additionally, two armed motorcycle snatchers and a robber were also apprehended in Bokkos Local Government Area. The army seized a fabricated pistol, four rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a motorcycle during the arrests.

In a further blow to the remnants of Boko Haram, 15 weary fighters, along with their families, voluntarily surrendered to Nigerian Army troops in the Gwoza and Bama areas of Borno State, underscoring the ongoing degradation of the terrorist group’s capabilities.