NAF Claims It Airstrikes Unknown Gunmen Hideouts In Nnewi, Okigwe

Nigerian Air Force has claimed it airstrikes unknown gunmen it described as members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network, ESN in their hideouts at Nnewi area in Anambra State and Okigwe community in Imo State on Tuesday.

Nigerian Air Force in a news release on Wednesday made available by the NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, the air operations were executed following an intelligence report that the fighters had concluded plans to unleash mayhem on the residents and other states in the region.

According to the military statement, the Nigerian Air Force fighter jets under the air component of Operation Udo Ka II, on Tuesday, destroyed the armories and hideouts of the Indigenous People of Biafra combatants in Anambra and Imo states.

NAF said the fighter jets conducted several air strikes on the IPOB fighters enclaves in Mother Valley at Orsumughu community in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State and at Aku Ihube in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State.

He said some of the bombed locations were considered to be their armouries. Adding that the air strikes destroyed IPOB fighters’ camps where they were billed to hold their meeting in Imo state.

As at the time of filing in this report, IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful is yet to respond to the claim of the Nigerian Air Force. But Simon Ekpa, one of the factional leaders of IPOB in a tweet on Wednesday said the locations the Nigeria military Jets bombarded were innocent residents settlement and not Biafra soldiers hideouts as claimed by NAF.