Members of the Armed Forces, Department of State Services, Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have killed 20 fighters from the Indigenous People of Biafra in the Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State.
During the joint operation on March 7, the security forces also destroyed 50 of the fighters' camps.
The destroyed camps included the headquarters of the Indigenous People of Biafra, the Command and Control Centre, and the Military Council Headquarters.
This operation is the second in the same Local Government this month and the third in the state.
On March 5, members of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy killed five fighters in a gun battle in Imo State.
On March 2, troops killed a fighter after a gun duel and recovered weapons and vehicles from their hiding places.
However, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, said the troops encountered many improvised explosive devices and ditches along the way to the camps.
Buba added that the fighters' hiding places were well hidden with foliage and were not visible during air surveillance.
The troops conducted a raid and clearance operation on the violent extremists/terrorists in Mother Valley, Orsu LGA of Imo State, on March 7, 2024.
The team cleared about 50 hiding places in the valley, including the headquarters and the command and control centre of the terrorists.
Troops also cleared Buteuzor’s hideout/residence office, logistic base, temple, and shrine. The hiding places were well concealed with foliage to hide from air surveillance.
The Valley had sufficient power supply for the camps, where the terrorists hibernated, reared animals, and owned farms. During the operations, troops also encountered several improvised explosive devices and ditches along the axis of the camp.
Buba stated that the ditches dug by the fighters were covered and the improvised explosive devices detonated.
He noted that in the fight that ensued after making contact with the fighters, 20 of them were killed and several weapons were recovered from them.
Buba said that all the improvised explosive devices were detonated and the ditches were covered with excavators before reaching the camp. The location is identified to be the supreme headquarters, command, and control centre as well as the Military Council Headquarters of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
During the operations, troops made contact with terrorists. Following a firefight, troops neutralised 20 terrorists and recovered several weapons such as rifles, guns, pistols, and bombs.
Troops also found various ammunition, such as 226 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 216 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 172 live cartridges, 4 AK47 magazines, and 3 G3 magazines. They also found IEDs (OGBUNIGWE), POS devices, baofeng radios, mobile phones, handheld IEDs, CCTV cameras, inverters, and batteries. Additionally, they discovered Biafra flags and other items.
Buba also claimed that shallow graves were present in the IPOB fighters’ camps, alleging their involvement in ritual killings.
Troops destroyed all camps, hideouts, and shrines in the area. They found shallow graves, indicating idol worship and ritual killings. The camp's ritual killings explain the numerous cases of missing persons in the region.
The recovered items are being processed and analyzed for their intelligence value. However, troops are maintaining their momentum and pursuing the terrorists and their allies, driving them out of their hideouts,
