Soldier, 3 IPOB Members Killed As Troops Search For Abducted Colleague

The Nigerian Army has said its troops on a search and rescue mission of abducted Staff Sergeant Bassey Ikunugwan neutralised three suspected Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)/ Eastern Security Network (ESN) members in an encounter and recovered some weapons.

The director of Army Public Relations Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement he issued yesterday, said one soldier paid the supreme price during the clash.

Nwachukwu said the Nigerian Army would leave no stone unturned in the search for the abducted soldier.

Reacting to reports alleging that troops of Headquarters 82 Division NA invaded Amangu community in Abia State., Nwachukwu said on 2nd November, 2022, a soldier Staff Sergeant Bassey Ikunugwan, who was officially on leave pass, was abducted along Road Okwu-Ebem Ohafia in Abia State.

He said consequent upon that, troops on Thursday, 3rd November, 2022, acting on credible intelligence report, embarked on a search and rescue operation at Amangu Village/Forest, “having confirmed same as an Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) enclave, where the soldier was reportedly held hostage.”