Troops kill ‘two IPOB/ESN fighters, arrest five’ in Delta

The combined team of the Nigerian army troops of 63 Brigade, police and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) has killed two fighters of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Delta state. 

The ESN is the paramilitary organisation of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). 

In a statement on Tuesday by Onyema Nwachukwu, army spokesperson, the fighters were killed during a “fierce encounter” with troops on Monday around  Fuji junction general area of Asaba, the capital of Delta.  

Nwachukwu said the troops’ attention was drawn to the area following a distress call that the community was under attack by the ESN fighters. 

The army spokesperson said while five members of the group were arrested, some weapons, including an AK 47 rifle, a pump action semi-automatic rifle, 15 live cartridges, an AK 47 rifle magazine and a Baofeng radio receiver were recovered. 

“The terrorists succumbed to the overwhelming firepower of the troops, after two of their members fell in the firefight that ensued, while the survivors fled to their hideout around Okpanam river,” the statement reads. 

“We implore members of the public to continue to cooperate with the security agencies by providing actionable information to support their operations to tackle security challenges.

“The chief of army staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja has lauded the combined troops for their effort and urged them to sustain the synergy, as they restore peace and tranquillity in the region.”