Troops of the Nigerian Army, under Operation UDO KA, raided an Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) camp in Igboro Forest, Abia State, on Saturday.
This operation was to apprehend the perpetrators behind last week’s killing of five soldiers at Obikabia junction in Aba.
According to a statement posted on X.com by the Nigerian Army on Sunday, the raid targeted the IPOB and its affiliate Eastern Security Network (ESN) to recover arms and ammunition, as reported by Punch Online.
“In order to apprehend the perpetrators of the attack on our troops (three out of those killed are from the SE) at Aba last week, and to recover arms and ammunition from the Indigenous People of Biafra and its affiliate Eastern Security Network terrorist group, troops of Operation UDO KA conducted another successful clearance/raid operation in Igboro Forest, Arochukwu LGA of Abia State yesterday,” the statement read.
During the operation, the troops engaged in a firefight with the IPOB group, resulting in the deaths of six members. The statement noted that the troops encountered Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along their advance, causing a minor injury to one soldier.
“The terrorists’ feeble firefight was adequately subdued with superior firepower, which led to the neutralization of six members of the criminal terrorist group while others escaped into adjoining bushes with varying degrees of gunshot wounds, as bloodstains were seen along their escape routes,” the statement added.
The soldiers recovered several weapons, including three locally fabricated rocket-propelled grenade launchers, two locally fabricated artillery guns with tripods and bombs, Dane guns, Biafran flags, and vehicles. The camp was also destroyed.
The Joint Task Force Operation UDO KA urged Abia residents to continue providing security forces with credible and timely information to help eliminate criminals in the state and the wider southeastern region.