The Defence Headquarters yesterday disclosed how its troops contained attacks by the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the southeast.
Its spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Benard Onyeuko, at a press briefing in Abuja, explained that troops’ intervention became imperative when the gunmen were becoming more daring.
He said the troops of the Armed Forces and other security agencies, while conducting operations in the southeast, contained several IPOB/Eastern Security Network activities in the Zone between June 3 and 16, 2021.
”Within the period, troops responded to several distress calls on IPOB/ESN attacks on police stations, maiming and killing of security operatives as well as civilians and destruction of properties in the zone.
”Some of these operations were conducted at Ukpong in Obot Akara LGA of Akwa-Ibom State, in which the hoodlums had a hideout from where they perpetrated illicit acts. On 4 June 2021, troops raided the hoodlums’ hideouts and dislodged them.
”Troops also, on the heels of credible actionable intelligence on 4 June, engaged and repelled some IPOB/ESN hoodlums who attacked Okposi Town in Ohaozara LGA of Eboyi State and the Criminal Investigation Department, Abia State Command.
”Similarly, troops on 5 June 2021 repelled IPOB hoodlums attack on commuters along Igbo-Ekiti – Nsukka Road in Enugu State. In another development on same day, troops tracked and apprehended some hoodlums who vandalized and stole railroad sleepers at Nkwubor Road within Emene in Enugu East LGA of Enugu State.”
He said the military also used non-kinetic approach to tackle the seemingly intractable security challenges in the zone where Minister of Defence led a Federal Government delegation to Enugu for the security meeting with stakeholders in the zone.