Five soldiers and two policemen sustained various degrees of injuries from Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) detonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) during clearance operations in Anambra and Imo states.
The director of Army Public Relations Brig-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement, said the troops of 82 Division Nigerian Army, sister services, Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other security agencies raided hideouts and training camps belonging to IPOB/ESN in Orsomoghu forest spanning Anambra and Imo states and arrested five fighters.
He said the troops on Monday carried out the operation following information of violent activities of the group enforcing the illegal two weeks sit-at-home order in Onitsha, Nnewi and Iheme Obosi in Anambra State, as well as New Market in Enugu State.
Gen. Nwachukwu said the troops during the raid cleared IPOB camps in Eke Ututu, 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 locally fabricated mortar tubes,” he added.
He said the troops however, overpowered the irredentist group in the firefight, forcing them to abandon their position and fled with gunshot wounds into nearby bushes.
The troops in a 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 two detonated IED bombs and a fabricated mortar tube.
“Sadly, five soldiers and two Nigeria Police operatives sustained varying degrees of injuries from the IED detonated by the criminals”.
He therefore called on 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.
He said the Nigerian Army in synergy with sister services and security agencies will 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.
