Troops raid, destroy IPOB supreme headquarters in Imo – Army

Troops of the Nigerian Army have raided and destroyed the supreme headquarters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) at Mother Valley, Orsu council area of Imo State.

The Force Commander, Joint Task Force South-East, Operation Udo Ka, Maj.-Gen. Hassan Dada, disclosed this while addressing newsmen at Eke Ututu, Orsu LGA of Imo on Friday.

DAILY POST reports that Operation Udo Ka, which started on Feb. 11, 2024, includes troops of the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as personnel of the Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Services, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The commander stated that the troops cleared and liberated Ihiteukwa, Eke Ututu, and Ihittenansa towns in Imo State, as well as Orsumoghu and Lilu towns in Ihiala and Ekwusigo LGAs of Anambra State.

He mentioned that the headquarters, serving as the last stronghold of IPOB, is located in Mother Valley spanning Orsu and Ihiala LGAs of Imo and Anambra, respectively, and is about 5,000 feet below sea level.

Gen. Dada added that the well-concealed and forested location provided the terrorists with good cover from air surveillance, serving as their command and control center and military council headquarters.

During the raid operations, the troops encountered, detonated, and recovered numerous command Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and various types of obstacles which were cleared by the determined troops.

Also, the troops engaged with the terrorists during the raids, resulting in many being neutralized, while others with varying degrees of gunshot wounds fled into surrounding bushes.

“In addition to numerous weapons, equipment, IEDs, and stolen vehicles recovered over the last three weeks, items recovered in Mother Valley include three G3 rifles, nine automatic pump-action rifles, seven double-barrel guns, two locally made pistols, two rocket-propelled grenade bombs, two AK 47 magazines, and one G3 magazine,” Gen. Dada stated.

“Others include 26 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 16 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, 72 Pump Action Cartridges, one chainsaw, one laptop, one CCTV DVR, 26 CCTV cameras, 17 baofeng radios with batteries and 10 without batteries including their chargers.

“Also recovered were six handheld IEDs, 26 Android phones, 25 regular phones, one inverter, one SIM card registration machine, four POS machines, three motorcycle batteries for igniting IEDs, two trumpets, two Biafra flags, 20 ESN certificates, two diaries containing details of ammunition and food supplies, and two pairs of Biafra Liberation Army uniforms.

“The joint troops also destroyed about 50 tents in the valley housing the Supreme Headquarters, IPOB/ESN command and control center, Buteuzor’s hideout and residence, offices, their logistics base, temples, and shrines used for occultic practices, among many other items,” he added.

He commended the people of Imo and Anambra for their cooperation with security agencies and urged them to report any suspicious individuals in their communities to Operation Udo Ka by dialing the emergency line 193 and pressing option two from their mobile phones.

Gen Dada also urged the leaders of all liberated communities to return to their ancestral homes and collaborate with their communities to ensure that criminal elements not from the communities are not allowed to return and desecrate their homelands.

He expressed gratitude to Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, for their support, advice, and guidance throughout the operation. He assured that the troops would continue to provide all security support to affected communities within the ambit of the law.