The Nigerian Armed Forces (NAF) on Thursday said the activities of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN) have “drastically reduced in recent times”.
In a statement signed by the acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Bernard Onyeuko, a brigadier general, the military said presently, IPOB-linked violence are only recorded in a small area of the Southeast region.
The Defence Headquarters’ statement reads in part: “The IPOB/ESN elements activities in the South East drastically reduced in recent times. However, pockets of incidents were recorded in some locations at; Oru-West LGA of Imo State and Ebonyi LGA of Ebonyi State.
“Troops responded to distress calls and carried out raid operations on some IPOB enclaves within the period in focus. During some of these operations, troops arrested one of the IPOB secretaries, Mr Obinna Nwite and recovered 4 pistols, 3 long barrel guns, 18 rounds of assorted ammunitions and minutes of meeting book, containing some names of IPOB members.
”The arrested IPOB/ESN militia and all recovered items have been handed over to appropriate prosecuting agencies for further action.”
IPOB was founded in 2012 by Nnamdi Kanu, a British-Nigerian political activist known for his prominent advocacy of the contemporary Biafran independence movement. It was deemed a terrorist organization in 2017 under Nigerian Terrorism Act.
