•••Five Soldiers, Two Policemen Injured in Bomb Blast In South
By John Ugo , Awka
The officials of the Joint Taskforce on Security (JTF) has arrested five members of Mr. Simon Ekpa led faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) during raids on five camps in Anambra, Enugu and Imo states respectively.
This is as the Sit-At-Home order by the Simon Ekpa’s faction of IPOB on Tuesday entered its second day in the South East geo political zone.
Also, seven members of the JTF, comprising two policemen and five solders were injured as a result of sudden detonation of a locally fabricated bomb by the suspected IPOB/ESN members.
It was learnt that the Osumoghu community in Nnewi South local government area near Ihiala council area, Luli, Ihembosi communities in Ihiala and Ekwusigo local government areas , Eke-Ututu market in Orsu LGA and other parts of Oru West local government area of Imo state and New Market in Enugu Capital Enugu state were raided by the taskforce.
The Chief Of Army Staff, Major Gen Abiodun Lagbaja, had ordered troops to flush out the unknown gunmen from their hideouts in the South East following the spate of criminality in the geo politico zone.
Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director Army Public Relations, Nigeria Army who confirmed the incident revealed that a team of joint security operatives sacked some of the hoodlums from their camp in Anambra.
Nwachukwu in a press release said that the camp located inside a forest in an Anambra community, Orsumoghu, Nnewi South Local Government Area was invaded by the operatives on Monday.
He said: “The raid operation was carried out on Monday 31 July 2023, when troops were alerted to the violent activities of the irredentist group enforcing the illegal 2 weeks sit-at-home order in Onitsha, Nnewi and Iheme Obosi in Anambra State, as well as New Market in Enugu state.”
“This is in the ongoing operations to deter the enforcement of the illegal sit at home declared by Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN).
“Combined troops of 82 Division Nigerian Army, sister Services, Nigeria Police and other security agencies successfully raided hideouts and training camps belonging to IPOB/ESN in Orsomoghu Forest spanning Anambra and Imo States.
“Sadly, five soldiers and two Nigeria Police operatives sustained varying degrees of injuries from IEDs detonated by the criminals.
“During the raid operations, the troops cleared IPOB camps in Ekeututu, Orsomoghu, Lilu and Mother Valley camps of the dissidents.
“Troops came in contact with the group’s armed fighters, who detonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) also known as Ogbunigwe and fired using a locally fabricated mortar tube.
“The valiant troops, however, overpowered the irredentist group in the firefight, compelling 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.”
Onyema Nwachukwu said the Nigerian Army encourages all law-abiding citizens of the South East to continue to support ongoing operations with actionable information and to disregard the unlawful two weeks sit-at-home order by going about their normal daily activities and businesses.
“The Nigerian Army, in synergy with sister services and security agencies, will undauntedly continue to protect and safeguard lives and property of the good and enterprising people of South East Nigeria, within the ambit of the law and the rules of engagement,” he stated.
