Police combat IPOB/ESN militia, destroy operational camp in Imo Forest

The Imo State Police Command has disclosed combatant confrontation with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the militia group, Eastern Security Network (ESN), in Imo State, which resulted in the destruction of their operational base in Imo Forest. The            Police also said that many           IPOB/ESN members sustained injuries during fierce exchange of gunfire with officers of the State Command, at militias camp in Ubah Agwa/Izombe Forest in Oguta Local Area, Imo State, southeast Nigeria.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Imo State, Henry Okoye, had in a statement by the command’s spokesman, cited the State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, as explaining the   IPOB/ESN militia were planning an attack on a community when the police acted on reliable intelligence and stormed the militias hideout in the forest where they had confrontation with the             militants, and destroyed their   camp in the forest. He listed items recovered when the police searched the camp after overwhelming them and forcing the militants to flee.

The        PPRO    in the statement highlighted: “acting on diligently gathered actionable intelligence that members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militia affiliate (ESN), whose modus operandi is gorilla-like operation, that is, they unleash surprise terror attack and go into hiding in their criminal hideout, have once again reassembled and formed a camp at Ubah Agwa/Izombe tropical rain Forest in Oguta LGA of Imo State, strategizing how to perpetrate another dreadful crime, operatives of the Command’s Tactical teams swiftly swung into action, tactically maneuvered their way into the identified criminal hideout and raided it.

“The hoodlums on sighting the Police operatives engaged them in a fierce gun duel but were overpowered by the superior firepower of the operatives who professionally took advantage position and returned fire forcing them to flee with various degrees of gunshot injuries.

“On searching the dislodged terrorist camp and shrine, three Automatic Pump Action guns, 31 rounds of live cartridges, 59 rounds of AK 47 ammunition, one Police hand grenade, IPOB/ESN insignia, blue and black colour Police uniforms, P-Cap, Police belt, military camouflage uniforms, one black colour tiger 150 motorcycle, one red Daylong Motorcycle, One black KYMCO motorcycle, one Sliver Colour Honda Lady’s Motorcycle, one black travelling bag ‘Akubuokwu’ and phone number 07035470794, suspected to belong to a kidnapped or armed robbery victim were recovered.”