Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General Faruk Yahaya,
Army engages suspected IPOB members in Anambra, recover cache of weapons
[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
Nigerian Army said it has neutralized gunmen suspected to be members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) during a fire fight between its troops and the group in Anambra State.
The Army said the success was recorded in a joint operations conducted on Monday in a stronghold of the IPOB and Eastern security network in Lilu Forest in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.
According to the statement, the operation was jointly conducted by troops of 82 Division, Nigerian Navy, 211 Quick Response Group of the Nigerian Air Force, Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police.
Lilu is a border town between Imo and Anambra States, which soldiers said had been hitherto known to be used as an operational base of the dissidents.
A statement issued by the Director of Army Public Relations Officer, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu said the operation was conducted in the early hours of Monday January 17, 2022.
It said the operation led to the neutralization of some gunmen in the fire fight that ensued.
The statement said the troops recovered ‘10 Pump Action Shotguns, two locally fabricated guns, One Revolver pistol, rounds of 7.62 mm special, live cartridges, machetes and IPOB flags.’
Other items recovered, included; mobile phones, laptops, amongst other dangerous weapons.
“It was a well coordinated dawn attack on the fortress, where plans were being perfected to violently enforce the illegitimate sit-at-home declaration by the irredentist groups”, the statement added.
