Troops of the newly established 15 Brigade, Nigerian Army, operating under the Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, have dismantled three camps allegedly operated by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in Anambra State.
The operation, which was conducted in the early hours of Saturday, August 15, 2026, also led to the recovery of arms, explosives, motorcycles and other logistics allegedly used by the group.
The intelligence-led operation followed credible information on the activities of suspected IPOB/ESN elements operating from camps located at Osuakwa, along the boundary between Ihiala and Ogbaru Local Government Areas of the state.
Acting on the intelligence, troops of the 15 Brigade, in collaboration with personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) and members of the Agunechemba Vigilante Group, launched a coordinated dawn raid on the identified locations.
The troops reportedly came under hostile fire from the suspected terrorists during the operation but responded with superior firepower, leading to a fierce firefight.
Three suspected IPOB/ESN members were reportedly neutralised, while the three camps were subsequently overrun and destroyed to prevent them from being used as operational bases.
Among the items recovered by the troops were one FN rifle with 10 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, one pump-action shotgun with five cartridges and 15 sticks of dynamite.
The troops also recovered four motorcycles, one gas cylinder, three hybrid batteries, two car batteries and three handheld radio chargers, alongside other items believed to have supported the group’s activities.
Further exploitation of the operational area resulted in the arrest of three suspected IPOB/ESN members, including a man identified as Chijioke, alongside one male and one female suspected accomplices.
The suspects were reportedly found in the company of six children during the operation.
The Commander of the 15 Brigade commended the troops, DSS personnel and members of the Agunechemba Vigilante Group for what he described as courage, discipline and effective inter-agency cooperation.
He described the operation as another major setback for criminal and terrorist elements allegedly seeking to undermine peace and security in the South-East.
The Nigerian Army said the newly established 15 Brigade would sustain intelligence-led operations in collaboration with sister security agencies and relevant local stakeholders to identify, disrupt and dismantle terrorist and criminal networks across the region.
“The Brigade remains resolute in its commitment to denying all criminal elements freedom of action and ensuring the safety and security of law-abiding residents across Anambra State and the wider South East region,” the Army said.
The latest operation comes as security agencies continue to intensify coordinated efforts against armed groups and other criminal networks operating in parts of the South-East.
