Under the cover name “Operation UDO KA II,” the soldiers of Joint Task Force South-East Operation have carried out clearance operations in the lairs of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its Eastern Security Network (ESN) members in two council areas in Imo.
The Joint Task Force Operation UDO KA II released a statement on Friday in Enugu from Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army.
The army reported that the simultaneous clearing operations on Thursday were carried out on the Okigwe-Umulolo communities in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo and the Ihioma-Ihittenansa communities in Orsu Local Government Area.
According to Unuakhalu, the goal of the clearance operations was to locate and demolish any potential camps belonging to the terrorists who are fleeing IPOB and ESN and who are extorting and killing innocent South-East residents in the name of agitation.
He claims that an improvised explosive device (IED) struck one of the troops’ trucks at Umulolo during the concurrent clearance operations, but no casualties were reported.
“Troops also encountered the terrorists, who retreated into the surrounding bushes after being shot by the superior weaponry.
Items found at Umulolo included two locally built firearms, ammunition, a PKT machine gun barrel, a large locally made rocket propelled launcher (Ogbunigwe), and materials for constructing IEDs. Two suspects were detained.
Others included eight cell phones, three boots, a pair of camouflage shorts, two motorcycles, a beret, two laptops and a charger. Three temples that the terrorists had utilised as fortification were also demolished, he added.
According to the army spokesman, while conducting clearance operations and fighting patrols along Road Ihioma-Ihittenansa in Orsu LGA, the forces also came into contact with IEDs, came quite close to some IPOB/ESN terrorists, and engaged them in gunfights at Eketutu Market.
The terrorists, who had bullet wounds, fled on motorcycles into the neighbouring Mother and Lilu Valley forests.
Additionally, two CCTV cameras that were meticulously hidden at the area’s highest point as well as some IED-making supplies were found by the troops.
“Troops successfully cleared the terrorists from the Eketutu market,” he declared.
The army official stated that Operation UDO KA II would continue the fight against cannibalism, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, and ritual executions of law-abiding and diligent South-East residents.
“These terrorists are lowlifes who are being exploited by a criminal abroad to wreak havoc on all of us, primarily the sentenced convicts who escaped from Owerri Jail Breaks.
“Everyone should take part in the battle to stop these terrorists from dictating how we live our lives.
“Law-abiding and good citizens of the South-East are enjoined to provide timely, credible, and reliable information to end the insecurity in the region (Alaigbo),” he continued.
