In the South-East on Thursday, Nigerian troops narrowly avoided a deadly assault when one of their trucks collided with an improvised explosive device (IED) that had purportedly been hidden there by suspected Igbo separatists.
In addition to destroying three shrines and recovering a number of artefacts, the Joint Task Force, Operation UDO KA II troops also demolished other IPOB and Eastern Security Network targets, according to a statement released on Thursday and signed by Lieutenant Colonel John Unukhalu.
According to the statement, “Troops of Joint Task Force South East Operation UDO KA II conducted another clearance operation along Ihioma – Ihittenansa in Orsu Local Government Area and Okigwe – Umulolo in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State, respectively, on Thursday, October 5, 2023 in an effort to capture IPOB/ESN terrorists who are still at large from its previous clearance operation. The clearance operations attempted to locate and destroy potential camps of the evading IPOB/ESN terrorists who were murdering and maiming as well as extorting innocent South East area inhabitants in the name of agitation.
One of the troop vehicles was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) near Umulolo during the concurrent clearance operations, although no casualties were reported. Due to better firepower, troops also came into contact with the terrorists who were wounded and retreated into the adjacent bushes. Items such as two locally built firearms, ammunition, a PKT machine gun barrel, a large locally made rocket propelled launcher (Ogbunigwe), and materials for constructing IEDs were found at Umulolo after the arrest of two suspects. In addition, there are three CCTV cameras, two laptops, a charger, eight cell phones, three boots, a short in camouflage, two motorcycles, and a beret. In addition, three shrines that the terrorists had fortified with were demolished.
regarding the clearing operations and fighting patrols along Road IHIOMA – IHITTENANSA in ORSU LGA. Despite coming across IEDs, the troops made contact with and engaged some IPOB/ESN terrorists near EKETUTU Market who escaped into the nearby woodlands of Lilu and Mother Valleys on motorcycles while wounded by gunfire. Additionally, the troops found some IED-making supplies and two CCTV cameras that had been meticulously hidden at the area’s highest point. The EKETUTU market was effectively cleared of terrorists by the military.
The fight against cannibalism, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, and ritual executions will continue under Operation UDO KA II. These terrorists, who are primarily imprisoned criminals who broke out of the jail in Owerri, are lowlifes who are being employed by a criminal from another country to wreak havoc on all of us. To prevent these terrorists from dictating how we live our lives, all Ndigbo people must band together. To stop the insecurity in the region, law-abiding and upright inhabitants of the South-East are urged to give timely, credible, and reliable information (Alaigbo).
