Troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces have intensified their nationwide operations, killing over 140 terrorists and arresting 135 suspects within the past week.
Among the notable arrests are a founding member of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Pius Iguh, and an IPOB commander, Emmanuel Onwugu, both detained in separate sting operations in the South East.
During a briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, revealed that Pius Iguh was apprehended by troops in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State, while Emmanuel Onwugu was captured in Mbano LGA of Abia State.
He detailed the operations, stating, “In the South East theatre, troops at FOB Orsu conducted a sting operation that culminated in the arrest of an IPOB terrorist leader. The arrested terrorist leader, identified as Pius Iguh, is a founding father of the ESN group in the Orsu general area of Imo State.”
In a similar operation, troops targeted a key IPOB figure in another part of the region. “Troops at FOB Amaruku conducted a raid that resulted in the arrest of another IPOB terrorist commander identified as Emmanuel Onwugu. He was arrested in Mbano LGA of Abia State,” Buba explained.
The crackdown in the South East also led to the capture of a notorious cult leader, Ifeanyi Rock, along with ten of his loyal fighters.
They were rounded up in Arochukwu, Abia State, as part of the ongoing efforts to curb cult-related violence in the region.
Meanwhile, the broader military operations across the country saw significant progress, with 140 terrorists neutralized, 135 individuals arrested, and 76 kidnapped victims rescued.
In addition to the fight against terrorism, the troops also made strides in the battle against oil theft.
Providing specifics, Buba announced that 18 suspected oil thieves were taken into custody, with recovered stolen crude oil valued at an estimated N1.7 billion.
“Troops also arrested 18 perpetrators of oil theft. Troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of N1,751,886,550.00. Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 33 crude oil cooking ovens, 19 dugout pits, 41 boats, 70 drums, 22 storage tanks, and 47 illegal refining sites,” Buba said.
In terms of the recovered equipment and resources, the General noted the confiscation of 13 speedboats, one tricycle, four motorcycles, and three vehicles, along with 1,122,710 liters of stolen crude oil and 557,210 liters of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil.
Further elaborating on the scale of the operations, he shared the arsenal of weapons and ammunition seized during the raids.
Troops recovered a total of 241 weapons and over 3,200 rounds of ammunition, including 141 AK47 rifles, a PKT gun, FN rifles, and a variety of locally fabricated arms.
“The breakdown is as follows: 141 AK47 rifles, one PKT gun, two FN rifles, 17 fabricated rifles, 26 Dane guns, 13 pump-action guns, four locally made pistols, one Beretta pistol, two bayonets, and 42 AK47 magazines,” he enumerated.
Additionally, Buba highlighted the recovery of “2,016 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 970 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 33 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 76 rounds of 9mm ammo, 113 live cartridges, two Baofeng radios, three vehicles, 31 motorcycles, 18 mobile phones, and the sum of N79,052,150.00 and $19.”
The extensive operations demonstrate the military’s ongoing efforts to suppress insurgency, cultism, and economic sabotage across multiple regions in Nigeria.
