Army arrests alleged IPOB/ESN kingpin ‘Calamity,’ foils gang linked to Police killing

Troops of the Nigerian Army under Operation UDO KA have arrested a suspected IPOB/ESN kingpin known as “Calamity” along with four members of his gang, in a major breakthrough against violent criminal networks operating in the South-East and South-South regions.

The suspects are believed to be responsible for the killing of a police officer and the injury of another during an ആക്രമ at Okuku-Igbo community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State on February 26, 2026. During the attack, the assailants reportedly made away with two AK-47 rifles belonging to the affected officers.

The arrest was confirmed in a statement issued on Tuesday by Olabisi Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 82 Division. He disclosed that the operation was carried out in the early hours of the day by troops of Sector 2 under Operation UDO KA as part of the ongoing Operation EASTERN SANITY.

According to Ayeni, the suspects were apprehended during a targeted raid on their hideout in Nwofe, located in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The operation followed credible intelligence linking the group to the February attack in Delta State.

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Preliminary findings indicate that after heightened security pressure in Delta, the group relocated to Ebonyi State, where they established a new base to continue their activities.

Acting on actionable intelligence, troops stormed the hideout and successfully captured the alleged commander, “Calamity,” along with four other key members of the network.

Items recovered at the time of arrest included a black handbag containing five mobile phones and multiple keys, as well as a black Kcsanya motorcycle believed to have been used in their operations.

The suspects are currently in military custody and undergoing further investigation, with authorities working to dismantle the broader network of collaborators and recover additional weapons linked to the group.

The Army noted that the operation highlights the ongoing commitment of the Armed Forces, in collaboration with other security agencies, to combat insurgency and criminal violence across the region.

It also called on the public to continue providing timely and credible information to support security efforts aimed at restoring peace and protecting lives and property.