Combined troops of 82 Division Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police and other security agencies raided hideouts and training camps belonging to Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and and its armed wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Orsomoghu Forest spanning Anambra and Imo States.
In a statement by spokesperson of the Army, Onyema Nwachukwu, said the raid which took place on Monday 31 July 2023 is part of the ongoing operations to deter enforcement of the illegal sit at home declared by IPOB and ESN.
Nwachukwu stated that troops were alerted to the violent activities of the group enforcing the two weeks sit-at-home order in Onitsha, Nnewi and Iheme Obosi in Anambra State and New Market in Enugu state.
He said during the raid operations, the troops cleared IPOB camps in Ekeututu, Orsomoghu, Lilu and Mother Valley camps.
The spokesperson noted that troops came in contact with the group’s armed fighters, who detonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) also known as Ogbunigwe and fired using locally fabricated mortar tube.
However, the troops overpowered the group forcing them to abandon their position as they fled with gunshot wounds into nearby bushes.
Further cordon and search of the hideouts by the troops, led to the arrest of five fleeing members of the group and recovery of one IPOB flag, one CCTV camera and 2 detonated IED bombs and a fabricated mortar tube.
He added that five soldiers and two Nigeria Police operatives sustained varying degrees of injuries from the IED detonated by the criminals.
