The Nigerian military announced that scores of persons believed to be affiliated with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its security arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), were killed in a recent raid by troops in Imo State.
A statement released via the Nigerian Army Headquarters’s Facebook page on Monday noted that the assault was carried out by troops involved in Operation Udo Ka.
According to the post, the operation took place along the Ekeututu–Ihiteunansa Road within the Orsu Local Government Area of the state.
“During the operation, the troops encountered suspected IPOB/ESN members. In the ensuing engagement, several of the suspected criminals were neutralized.
“Captured items included pump-action guns, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and IED-making materials, as well as charms.
“The Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General OO Oluyede, commended the troops for their gallantry and urged them to sustain their efforts in eliminating criminal elements from their hideouts.
“He also reassured the peace-loving people of the South East to carry on with their daily activities without fear,” the post noted.
Meanwhile, the Counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on the people of the South East region to unite and restore peace in the land.
This comes days after the arrest of a self-acclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, Simon Ekpa.
In a statement to newsmen in Owerri about insecurity in the South East region, Ejiofor declared it is game over for those clinging to the baseless December declaration of the Biafra nation.
He said, “I have always maintained that lies, deceit, fraud, treachery, and criminality have an expiration date. When the truth reaches its breaking point, it is inevitable: Game Over!!!
“To those still clinging to baseless December declaration, rest assured, December will come and go uneventfully. In the past, when fantastical claims about fighter jets and warships were peddled as obvious tools for self-aggrandizement by the serial fraudster, I warned those willing to listen that they have been swindled. My stance earned me severe criticism, threats, and defamation. But today, where do we stand?
“It is time for those who profess to have been deceived by an unrepentant serial fraudster to pause, reflect, and retreat. Let us restore peace in our land, so the custodians of Igbo heritage can seek ways to appease the gods for the atrocities committed against our people.
“There is indeed no gainsaying that Ndi Igbo are deeply marginalized in the Nigerian political setting and system. However, true struggles for the liberation of the oppressed must reject violence, fraud, criminality, and abuse as strategies. Freedom can never be won through such means. There’s absolutely no wisdom in cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face.”
