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…As troops raid hoodlums’ camps in Imo; arrest 4

Abakaliki—Ebonyi State Police Command, yesterday, said members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB/Eastern Security Network, ESN, burnt down three commuter buses, four motorcycles and one tricycle at Ezzamgbo Junction in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state.

The chairman of the local government, Mr. Ikechukwu Odono, condemned the attack.
An eye witness said about eight masked gunmen stormed the junction and started shooting sporadically to scare marketers away, before setting ablaze property valued at millions of naira.

The gunmen also torched a tricycle, seven motorcycles (Okada), a commercial phone operator’s shop, and other valuable property at the Eke market and Ezzamgbo Junction.

The witness said the gunmen, who invaded the place in a blue Toyota Sienna car, carried charms in a local pot and started shouting: “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu must be released by the Nigerian government,” during the operation.

The council Chairman, Odono, who confirmed the incident, said: “Early this morning, armed hoodlums entered Ezzamgbo Junction and started shooting around the flyover. They set ablaze two buses and about three motorcycles.

“I quickly called security agents but, before they could reach the scene of the incident, the armed men had left for Nkwo Donkey Market, where they again, shot sporadically into the air and set one tricycle and three more motorcycles ablaze.

“Before the security operatives could reach there, the hoodlums had fled.

“Now, security agents are everywhere in Ohaukwu, trying to fish out the perpetrators of the evil acts.

”I also assure Ohaukwu people to go about their legitimate businesses because the security operatives, including the Army, Police and DSS, are currently in Ezzamgbo to ensure lives and property are well secured.”

The police Spokesperson in Ebonyi State, SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, also confirmed the incident, saying that the armed men came in a Sienna car and attacked commuter buses, tricycles and motorcycles at Ezzamgbo junction.

According to her, the hoodlums burnt three commuter buses, four motorcycles, and one tricycle but “no life was lost”.

“Operatives of the Command have been dispatched to the scene and its environs to fish out the perpetrators. And we believe that before the end of the day, the perpetrators will be apprehended,” Onovwakpoyeya added.

The statement said: “Today 02/10/2023, armed men suspected to be IPOB/ESN members in a Sienna car attacked commuter buses, tricycles and motorcycles at Ezzamgbo junction.“They burnt down three commuter buses, four motorcycles, and one tricycle.

No life was lost

“Operatives of the Command have been dispatched to the scene and its environs to fish out the perpetrators.”

Ebonyi State government under the leadership of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has made concerted efforts towards ensuring that such ugly developments never occur again in the state.

Troops raid hoodlums’ camps in Imo, arrest 4

Meantime, troops of the Joint Task Force, South-East, code-named Operation UDO KA II, have cleared four notorious camps of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and its armed affiliates, Eastern Security Network, ESN, in Imo State.

The troops, in the course of the clearance, neutralised two IPOB/ESN members while four of the criminals were arrested.

This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Enugu by Jonah Unuakhalu, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, for the Joint Task Force Operation UDO KA II.

Unuakhalu said the camps cleared are located in three communities – Ihube, Aku, and Umulolo – in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State.

He said the clearance and recovery was carried out on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023.

The army spokesman said during the clearance operation, troops encountered many Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) deployed en route to the camps.

He said, however, that due to superior firepower, the group members fled into neighbouring forests with gunshot wounds.

“It was discovered that the camps were being used to perpetuate atrocities such as cannibalism, occultic practices, and ritual killings to instil fears into law-abiding citizens.

“These were evident from many fresh and old corpses discovered while clearing the entire camps.

“Also, the houses of the two spiritual leaders and herbalists that took to their heels were destroyed.

“Furthermore, the shrine of the wanted terrorist, Amobi Chinonso Okafor, alias Temple, where human sacrifices were being made was destroyed,” he said.

Unuakhalu said the items recovered from the camps included different denominations of the Biafra currencies, one new power bike, four motorcycles, and solar panels.

Other items recovered are POP cement and a petroleum tanker suspected to have been hijacked from the hard-working Igbo owners (indigenes) trying to make a living.

“Operation UDO KA II will continue combating crime and criminality by the extant rules and regulations guiding its operations.

“All law-abiding and good citizens of the South-East are enjoined to act against these devilish groups by providing timely, credible, and reliable information which will lead to ending the menace of insecurity occasioned by activities of the group in the region.
“Do not be a victim of this sacrilege. These criminals are desecrating Igboland,” he said.