Soldier Killed by Suspected IPOB Fighters After Sneaking Out to Attend Strippers’ Night Party in Anambra

A Nigerian Army soldier serving under Operation Udoka was killed by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) after leaving his duty post without authorization to attend a party in Anambra State. The incident occurred on the evening of Saturday, May 18, 2025, at the Forward Operating Base in Uli.

Sources revealed that the soldier, dressed in full military camouflage, had gone to a strippers’ event tagged “Ladies’ Jamboree” at a nearby hotel. His absence was discovered during a tactical operation, prompting a search. He was later found fatally shot at the hotel, along with the body of a baby. The attackers are believed to be affiliated with IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

The soldier’s weapon was recovered at the scene and is now in military custody. Efforts to reach the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye, for comment were unsuccessful, as his phone was switched off and messages went unanswered at the time of reporting.

This incident adds to a troubling pattern of targeted attacks on security forces in the South-East, where IPOB and ESN have been blamed for ongoing violence against state authorities. Operation Udoka remains one of the key security initiatives led by the Defence Headquarters to combat insurgent activity in the region.