The Imo State Police Command on Sunday said they have raided another camp operated by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN) located in a valley in Amaifeke in the Orlu Local Government Area of the State, killing three of the outlawed group ‘Comanders.’
The Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Michael Abattam, said in Owerri that the success was part of the ongoing clearance Operation embarked by the Command aimed at wiping out the remnants of the proscribed insurgent group.
Abattam said a concrete intelligence revealed that members of the proscribed IPOB/ ESN members were sighted in an isolated uncompleted building in the area planning to resume terror attacks on police formations and government installations in the State.
According to the statement by Abattam, “on 11/9/2021 at about 1230 hours, the Command’s tactical teams immediately mobilised and stormed the hideout of the terror group located in an uncompleted building in a valley at Essential Home popularly known as “Ngbuka”, Amaifeke Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State.
“The members of the terror group, on sighting the police operatives in their hideout, opened fire on them. The gallant and battle-ready tactical teams swiftly returned the fire.
“In the gun duel, three of the hoodlums; namely Chidera Nnabuhe, the Orlu Sector Commander of IPOB/ESN a.k.a Dragon a native of Umuala Amaifeke in Orlu LGA and two others with a.k.a, J.J and Dadawa both natives of Ohazara in Ebonyi State were neutralised.”
The Police Spokesperson said that two others, Emeka Sunday, 20, of Anike in Ohazara LGA of Ebonyi State and Anthony Okeke ‘M’ age 44 years of Umuala Amaifeke, Orlu LGA of Imo were arrested while others escaped into the bush with bullet wounds.
He said that during a search on the camp and its surroundings, a native goat that have just been slaughtered with the blood drained into a container and rub on their bodies to fortify themselves against police bullets was recovered alongside two locally fabricated General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) were recovered.
Other recovered items include 16 Improvised Explosives Devices (I.E.Ds), one English made pump action gun, two locally made Pistols, 37 rounds of live cartridges, three Automatic Machine Guns kick-starter, one Bomb detonator, three Automatic Guns connecting batteries, a big bag containing Gun Powder, Charms, two Biafran Flags, three bomb detonator remote control, among others.