The Nigeria Police Force says its operatives have arrested three suspected members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed militant wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Imo State, Nigeria’s South-east.
Force spokesperson Anthony Placid disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
Mr Placid, a deputy commissioner of police, said a confirmed hideout of the separatist group was dismantled when the operatives from Imo State raided the hideout on 23 April in Nguru Community, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of the state.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, premised on actionable information obtained from the confessional statement of a high-ranking IPOB/ESN commander, Ebube Uchenna Mmaduakolam, also known as ‘Ebube Virus.’
“Three suspects were apprehended at the scene and are currently in lawful custody, providing the Force with critical information pertaining to the group’s logistics networks, personnel structure, and planned operations,” he said.
The force spokesperson said a thorough search at the hideout resulted in the recovery of two General-Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs) 3,115 rounds of GPMGs ammunition, and an AK-47 assault rifle.
He said one pump action gun, multiple units of surveillance drones, and Biafra currency in various denominations were also recovered from the hideout.
IGP reacts
Mr Placid said the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, praised the operatives for their courage, professional conduct and tactical precision in executing the operation.
Mr Disu argued that the recovery of the substantial arms and ammunition “significantly degrades” the operational capacity of the IPOB/ESN fighters in the South-east.
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The IGP also said the recovery also represents a “decisive blow” to the separatist group’s “campaign of terror.”
“The Nigeria Police Force reaffirms its mandate to uphold the rule of law, and guarantee the safety of every Nigerian citizen,” the statement added.
IPOB, a group seeking to carve out the South-east and some parts of the south-south from Nigeria, has been linked to some deadly attacks in the two regions.
But the separatist group has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks.