Gift Wada
The Nigerian Armed Forces on Thursday announced a significant success in the fight against terrorist groups, particularly in the South-East, with the arrest of key IPOB leaders and the neutralization of 140 terrorists nationwide.
During a press briefing in Abuja, Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, noted that the recent counter-insurgency key achievements was the arrest of Pius Iguh, a founding member of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the armed faction of IPOB.
“Iguh was captured in a sting operation conducted by troops at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Orsu, Imo State,” he said.
Additionally, troops at FOB Amaruku in Abia State arrested Emmanuel Onwugu, another prominent IPOB commander, during a raid in Mbano Local Government Area. Both arrests mark significant strides in crippling IPOB’s leadership structure in the South-East region.
In a related operation, troops and security forces also captured notorious cult leader Ifeanyi Rock and 10 of his armed associates in Arochukwu, Abia State. These arrests are part of a broader effort to dismantle criminal networks across the country.
Nationwide, the military neutralized 140 terrorists, arrested 135 suspects, and rescued 76 kidnapped hostages.
General Buba noted that troops also arrested 18 individuals involved in oil theft and recovered N1.75 billion worth of stolen crude oil and illegally refined products in the South-South region.
“Additionally, troops recovered a large cache of weapons, including 141 AK-47 rifles, 241 assorted firearms, and over 3,000 rounds of ammunition, severely limiting the firepower of insurgent groups,” he noted
“In the Niger Delta, military forces discovered and destroyed 33 illegal crude oil refining sites, 19 dugout pits, and numerous other tools used for illicit oil operations. Over 1.1 million litres of stolen crude oil and 557,210 litres of illegally refined diesel were seized during the operations,” he said.
General Buba assured the public of the military’s commitment to defeating terrorists and restoring peace across Nigeria. He urged citizens to support the military’s efforts by refusing to give terrorism any opportunity to thrive.
Addressing concerns about the proliferation of arms in the hands of non-government actors, General Buba attributed the influx of weapons to ongoing conflicts in the Sahel region, which have contributed to the smuggling of arms into Nigeria. He also noted that some weapons were seized from military forces during battles but emphasized that troops continue to fight back to recover these arms.