Troops kill two ‘IPOB members’, arrest ‘ESN commander’ in Enugu

Troops of the 82 division of the Nigerian army under operation Udoka II have killed two suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) during a raid on their hideouts at Imufu in Igbo-Eze North LGA of Enugu state.

In a statement on Friday, Onyema Nwachukwu, the military spokesperson, said the troops carried out the operation on Thursday, in collaboration with other security agencies.

He said the soldiers during the raid subdued the group and recovered three semi-automatic pump action rifles and a locally fabricated single-barrel gun.

Nwchukwu added that the soldiers alongside men of the Department of State Security (DSS) arrested one Ezege, a suspected commander of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in Obinagu in Udi LGA of the state. 

He noted that Ezege had “recently threatened to unleash mayhem in Enugu state via his viral video and audio message circulated on some social media platforms”. 

The army spokesperson added that troops of the 130 battalions in the 13 brigade area of responsibility under the 82 division, busted a syndicate of gunrunners on Wednesday in Cross River state. 

“The operation followed credible intelligence revealing the illicit activities of the gunrunners in Obudu and Biaju general areas,” the statement reads.

“In the sting operation, the leader of the gun-running syndicate was nabbed alongside his accomplices, including two Nigerians and two Cameroonians.

“During preliminary investigations, it was revealed that the accomplices purchased firearms, which they, in turn, sell to a middleman, who supplies the arms and ammunition to Ambazonian separatists in the Republic of Cameroon.

“A subsequent operation conducted on Thursday 10 August 2023 led to the arrest of the gunrunning kingpin, Raphael aka Biajua, a Cameroonian, at Biajua community in Boki LGA of Cross River state.

“The troops also recovered four semi-automatic pump action rifles and four mobile phones.

“The Nigerian army enjoins the public to remain vigilant and report any untoward activity to the security agencies, in support of ongoing operations to curb security challenges.

“The good and enterprising people of south-east Nigeria are also encouraged to discountenance the illegal sit-at-home order and go about their daily activities and businesses without fear of intimidation, as ongoing operations will be sustained to counter the enforcement of the unlawful order.”