…Lost 2 security agents
Troops of 34 Artillery Brigade on Friday 27 December 2024 neutralized elements of the proscribed terrorist group of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB and it’s armed affiliate the Eastern Security Network ESN in Osina, Ideator North Local Government Area of Imo State.
This is contained in a statement by Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations 34 Artillery Brigade, Captain
Joseph Baba Akubo.
It says that troops while returning from routine patrols responded to a distress call of IPOB/ESN attack on Osina Community, on arrival, the troops engaged the terrorists with overwhelming fire power as the dissidents withdrew in disary.
Unfortunately, 2 security agents had been killed in action and 1 other missing in action and their weapons, an Ak 47 Rifle and a Tear Gas Launcher were carted away by the terrorists.The corpses of the slain agents were recovered and the troops proceeded in pursuit of the fleeing terrorists.
Contact was again made with the criminal IPOB/ESN elements at Nkwachi Community and in the firefight that ensued, one of the dissidents was neutralized while others who could not withstand the troop’s fire power ran into the nearby forest. One (1) AK-47 rifle with a fully loaded magazine was recovered.
The unrelenting troops continued to pursue the remnant of the criminals deep into Umalouma forest where a heavy firefight further broke out. The dissidents finally abandoned their weapons due to troops’ superior fire power and scampered into the thickly forested area with severe gunshot injuries. An additional five (4) Ak – 47 rifles, one (1) Fabrique Nationale Rifle and five (2) Magazines were recovered. A total of six (5) AK 47 Rifles and a Tear Gas Launcher were recovered.
Further exploitation is ongoing as troops will continue to trail the injured terrorists and smoke them out of their hideouts and places of treatment. We urge all IPOB/ESN irredentists and other criminal elements hiding in the bushes to surrender to the nearest troops’ location or meet their waterloo as troops of the Brigade will continue to ensure that Imolites celebrate the Yuletide Season in peace without fear or intimidation.
We also appeal to peace loving Imolites to continue to support the military by giving timely intelligence on the hideouts and movements of the terrorists to enable us rid the state of all criminality.