The Imo state police command says its operatives killed six suspected members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Ihube, Okigwe LGA of the state.
A statement issued on Saturday by Henry Okoye, the command’s spokesman, said the police raided an ESN camp in the village on Friday, killing three leaders and three members of the group.
Okoye said the operation was carried out following credible information from a whistleblower.
He identified the leaders as Ifeanyi Anayo, also known as Zuma De Rock; Chukwuemeka Odionyenfe, known as Nmimi; and Kingsley Sunday, all natives of Ogube, Ihube in Okigwe LGA.
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He added that police recovered five AK-47 rifles, 552 rounds of live ammunition, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), several communication equipment, and eight operational motorcycles from the group.
“On January 24, 2025, operatives from the Command’s tactical unit, acting on credible intelligence, launched a coordinated operation aimed at locating and dislodging the terrorists’ hideouts,” the statement reads.
“The police operatives came under heavy gunfire from suspected IPOB/ESN terrorists but demonstrated exceptional courage and engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle.
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“The group had been involved in several high-profile crimes, including the attack on the Owerri Correctional Centre on April 5, 2021, the killing of five policemen in Umunna, Okigwe, on December 12, 2022, and the burning of Arondizuogu Police Station on February 8, 2022.
“They were also linked to multiple kidnappings, including those of WAEC staff on June 5, 2023, four reverend sisters on August 21, 2022, and four Chinese nationals on December 6, 2023.”
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