On Wednesday, troops from Sector 5 of the Joint Task Force South East Operation UDO KA reportedly killed eight members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), during a firefight in Anambra State. The troops also arrested five suspected members while they were traveling on Aguluzenechikwu Road in a black Ford Edge, registered as Abuja ABC 535 AB.
The troops, who were conducting a clearance operation to locate the IPOB/ESN Ogunka Camp in Orumba South Local Government Area, encountered the militants upon reaching the camp. In the ensuing firefight, five militants were neutralized as they tried to flee. The troops recovered two AK-47 rifles, one pump-action gun, four improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and a 12V/75 Amp battery used to detonate the IEDs, according to a statement by Lieutenant Jonah Unuakhalu, a Joint Task Force spokesperson.
Unuakhalu added that the five arrested suspects attempted to bypass the Forward Operating Base (FOB) checkpoint by opening the barricades. However, vigilant troops stopped them and discovered a locally made pistol, three live cartridges, and nine mobile phones during a vehicle search.
Earlier, on January 8, 2025, during a routine patrol along the Orsumoghu-Burrow Pit road, the troops encountered militants and neutralized three. Two IED cylinders, which the militants were attempting to bury along the roadside, were discovered. While attempting to defuse one of the IEDs, it exploded, killing one soldier.
Unuakhalu also reported that Sector 1 troops responded to a kidnapping incident along the Igbo Eze Local Government Area of Enugu State and the Enugu-Kogi border. The combined forces of the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, and other agencies pursued the kidnappers, leading to the release of all victims in stages, with the last two freed yesterday. Efforts to locate the kidnappers’ hideout are ongoing.
In a separate operation, Sector 4 troops in Imo State targeted illegal oil bunkering. The operation uncovered a site with 15 cooking drums, five reservoirs containing about 5,000 liters of illegal refined Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), 1,500 liters of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and a 2km-long hose, all of which were destroyed.
Major General Hassan Dada, Force Commander of Joint Task Force South East Operation UDO KA, urged citizens to continue supporting the force by providing reliable information to help maintain peace in the South East region.
