2 Weeks Sit-at-home: 5 Soldiers, 2 Policemen Injured As Troops Engage Unknown Gunmen In Ihiala

Nigerian Army authority has confirmed that no fewer than five soldiers and two policemen sustained injuries during fighting with Unknown Gunmen suspected to be Biafra fighters at the armed group training camp at Orsumoghu community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday.

Unknown gunmen in a video on Monday said the Nigeria security operatives ran away after killing some of the Nigeria soldiers in a 30 minutes gun battle.

Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Nigerian Army spokesperson in a news release on Tuesday said five soldiers and two policemen sustained injuries from the locally made bombs planted by the Unknown Gunmen. Adding, five of the fleeing members of the Unknown Gunmen; the army described as Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and Eastern Security Network, ESN fighters were arrested.

The army accompanied the news release with a photograph of two young ladies and a boy via the army Instagram page but it could not be ascertained if the people were among the five fleeing suspects arrested as members of the Unknown Gunmen.

Excerpts of the army news release reads in quote below:

TROOPS RAID IPOB/ESN CAMPS IN ANAMBRA/IMO, DESTROY HIDEOUTS, TRAINING CAMPS.

In ongoing operations to deter enforcement of the illegal sit at home declared by Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and and its armed wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN), combined troops of 82 Division Nigerian Army, sister Services, Nigeria Police and other security agencies have successfully raided hideouts and training camps belonging to IPOB/ESN in Orsumoghu Forest spanning Anambra and Imo States.

The raid operation was carried out on Monday 31 July 2023, when troops were alerted to the violent activities of the irredentist group enforcing the illegal 2 weeks sit-at-home order in Onitsha, Nnewi and Iheme Obosi in Anambra State, as well as New Market in Enugu state.

During the raid operations, the troops cleared IPOB camps in Eke-ututu, Orsomoghu, Lilu and Mother Valley camps of the dissidents. Troops came in contact with the group’s armed fighters, who detonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) also known as Ogbunigwe and fired using locally fabricated mortar tube.

The valiant troops however overpowered the irredentist group in the firefight, compelling them to abandon their position as they fled with gunshot wounds into nearby bushes.

Further cordon and search of the hideouts by the troops, led to the arrest of five fleeing members of the group and recovery of one IPOB flag, one CCTV camera and 2 detonated IED bombs and a fabricated mortar tube.

Sadly, five soldiers and two Nigeria Police operatives sustained varying degrees of injuries from the IED detonated by the criminals.

The Nigerian Army encourages all law abiding citizens of the South East to continue to support ongoing operations with actionable information and to disregard the unlawful 2 weeks sit-at-home order by going about their normal daily activities and businesses.

The Nigerian Army in synergy with sister services and security agencies will undauntedly continue to protect and safeguard lives and property of the good and enterprising people of South East Nigeria, within the ambit of the law and the rules of engagement. Signed: ONYEMA NWACHUKWU, Brigadier General, Director Army Public Relations, 1 August 2023.