In a gun battle with Imo State Police Command operatives, an unspecified number of Eastern Security Network and Indigenous People of Biafra members, including one of their leaders, were killed.
On Friday, members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) security wing were slain by police agents at Akata town in the state’s Oru East Local Government Area during a raid on their encampment in Imo State.
Three police officers were also shot during the operation, according to the Daily Post, and were brought to the hospital for treatment.
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, had earlier in the week urged the police to be merciless with IPOB and ESN members, classifying them as terrorists, according to NEWS DIRECT.
One of the officers died on the way to the medical facility, according to the Commissioner of Police for the Imo State Command, CP Rabiu Hussaini, who made the announcement in Owerri on Friday. The other two officers are currently receiving treatment in a government hospital.
The operation, according to the Commissioner, was initiated in response to solid evidence from the command’s intelligence section, which reported that some bandits believed to be affiliated with the IPOB were seen mobilizing to assault police formations and government installations in the area.
“On searching the camp and the surroundings bushes, the following items were recovered, namely; three Improvised Explosives Devices, two pump action guns, nine cartridges, one locally made pistol and one Toyota Highlander SUV vehicle with registration number IMO DFB 535 LC and were taken to the station.
“On their way back, unknown to police team, the bandits had reinforced and regrouped, laying ambush using palm tree logs to block the entire exit paths in the bush. It was at the fourth blockade that the police team came under heavy attack while removing the fourth palm tree log used in blocking the exit path. The bandits threw petrol bombs and Improvised Explosives Devices at the police vehicles.
“Again, the tactical team successfully dislodged the terrorists where several of them were neutralised and others fled into the bush with bullets wounds. Unfortunately, one of the police Hilux vehicle was burnt due to the petrol bombs thrown on it by the ESN.”
According to the CP, the tactical teams are presently combing the bush for possible recovery of more arms and Improvised Explosives Devices.
The police commissioner vowed to sustain the operations and arrest all criminal elements involved in violence in the state particularly, as the Command is embarking on a mop-up operations to arrest the remnants of the IPOB and ESN members terrorizing the state, a feat which has resulted in peace and tranquility in the state lately.
