The troops of Joint Taskforce ‘Operation UDO KA’ said that they have neutralised six members of Indigeneous People of Biafra and its affiliate Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN) terrorist group in Igboro Forest in Arochukwu LGA of Abia.
But NewsBits observed that the photographs attached to the press statement issued after the clearance operation in the Arochukwu forests did not bear IPOB. The signposts have inscriptions such as “Biafra Provincial Government (BPG), Government of The State of Biafra, Biafra National Guard (BNG), Biafran Army, Biafra Military Police (BMP), Map of Biafra. Another banner with Biafran insignia bears the inscription, “Welcome to the State of Biafra”
These were depicted in photos taken by the troops during the clearance operation and were made available to reporters. NewsBits recalls that besides, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) said to be founded by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, there are several other pro-Biafra groups.
There is, for instance, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), formed by Raphael Uwazuruike, Biafra Zionist Movement (BZM) formed by Benjamin Kanu, Biafra National Guard (BNG), Biafra Independent Movement (BIM), etc. BIM was reportedly set up by Raphael Uwazuruike after MASSOB was purportedly taken from him by some of his estranged members.
However, NewsBits learnt that the clearance operation was conducted to apprehend the perpetrators of the attack on own troops (three out of five of those killed are from the South-East) at Aba on May 30 as well as to recover arms and ammunition from IPOB/ESN terrorist group.
The Taskforce Spokesman, Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, said on Sunday in Enugu that the successful raid was conducted on June 8. Unuakhalu noted that during the intelligence led operation, troops encountered Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along its axis of advance and one soldier sustained minor injury from the fragment.
The terrorists’ feeble firefight were adequately subdued with superior firepower that led to the neutralization of six members of the criminal terrorists group while others escaped into adjoining bushes with varying degrees of gunshot wounds as blood stains were seen along their escape routes. “The gallant troops recovered three locally fabricated Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers, two locally fabricated Artillery Guns with tripod and its bombs.
“Other items recovered included Dane guns, Biafran flags as well as Toyota Tundra and Hilux vehicles that were burnt on the spot immediately. Also, all of their camps with different inscriptions were destroyed,” he said.
The spokesman said that the taskforce is calling on the good people of Abia to continue to cooperate with security agencies by giving credible and timely information that would help to annihilate the criminals in the state and entire South-East. He said: “Any information should be passed to Operation UDO KA by dialling 193 and press option 2 on your phone.”
