The Nigerian Army on Thursday said the troops of 82 Division have dislodged some camps belonging to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network, ESN, in Azia, Orsumoghu, Lilu Forest, Mbosi and Uli in Ihiala and Orsu Local Government Areas of Anambra and Imo States.
A statement issued and made available to newsmen by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said the development followed an operation conducted by the troops on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the outlawed group ambushed the gallant troops during the clearance operations but were overpowered by the army who uncovered
decomposing bodies of kidnapped and murdered victims allegedly dumped in a deep well by members of IPOB and ESN.
“While conducting the operations, the unrelenting troops encountered and cleared four ambush sites along roads Orsumoghu-Mbosi – Ihiala-Uli, dislodging the irredentists from their criminal havens.
“The gallant troops neutralized one of the criminals, arrested three suspects and recovered one pump action shotgun, two live cartridges, two mobile phones, one black coloured Toyota Hilux vehicle, a polythene bag containing substances suspected to be Cannabis and the sum of N1,920”, the statement added.
Onyema also revealed that another operation conducted on Thursday by the troops in collaboration with the Nigerian Police, busted IPOB/ESN syndicate that allegedly disrupted the just concluded Local Government Council elections at some polling stations in Nkanu West of Enugu State.
He said the operation, which was carried out around Centenary Estate Obeagu Uno, led to the recovery of AK 47 rifles, two pump action rifles, 10 rifle magazines, 8 live cartridges, 74 live rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one hand grenade and a tipper truck containing three corpses.
While assuring residents of South East Nigeria of commitment by the Nigerian Army to restoring lasting peace in the region, Onyema said the recovered weapons have been handed over to Enugu State Police Command for further action.