Troops of Sector 5, under the Joint Task Force South East Operation UDO KA, have reportedly killed eight members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), during a crossfire in Anambra State on Wednesday.
The operation, which targeted the IPOB/ESN Ogunka Camp in Orumba South Local Government Area, also resulted in the arrest of five suspected group members. The suspects were apprehended at Aguluzenechikwu Road, Aguata Local Government Area, while driving a black Ford Edge with the registration number Abuja ABC 535 AB.
The troops, on a clearance mission to neutralize IPOB/ESN elements, encountered the group upon arrival at the camp. According to Lieutenant Jonah Unuakhalu, a spokesperson for the Joint Task Force, the armed group attempted to flee through an escape route during the ensuing firefight but was intercepted by a blocking force, resulting in the neutralization of five members.
Recovered items included two AK-47 rifles, one pump-action gun, four Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and a 12V/75 Amp battery used for detonating the IEDs.
Unuakhalu also reported that the five arrested suspects attempted to gain access to the Forward Operating Base (FOB) checkpoint, but were stopped by vigilant troops. A search of their vehicle led to the recovery of one locally made pistol, three live cartridges, and nine mobile phones.
In a related operation, on January 8, 2025, while on routine patrol along the Orsumoghu-Burrow Pit road in Anambra State, troops encountered more IPOB/ESN members, neutralizing three. During the subsequent search of the area, two IED cylinders, which the group had attempted to bury, were discovered. While attempting to detonate the IED, one soldier tragically lost his life in the explosion.
The Joint Task Force also responded to a distress call on kidnapping activities along the Igbo Eze Local Government Area of Enugu State, near the Enugu-Kogi boundary. A combined force of the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, and other security agencies pursued the kidnappers, forcing them to release all the kidnapped passengers in batches. The last two victims were freed yesterday. Efforts are ongoing to locate the kidnappers’ hideout.
Additionally, Operation UDO KA has intensified its efforts against illegal oil bunkering. Troops from Sector 4, operating in Egbema West, Imo State, uncovered an illegal bunkering site containing 15 cooking drums, five reservoirs with about 5,000 liters of illegal refined Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), 1,500 liters of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and a 2-kilometer long hose. The illegal materials were immediately destroyed.