The combined troops of the 302 Artillery and 14 Field Engineer Regiments of the Nigerian Army have successfully recovered arms in a camp belonging to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and its affiliate the Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN).
The operation, as reported by the Director of Army Public Relations Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, demonstrated the unwavering commitment of the Nigerian Army to ensuring peace and security within the nation.
Nwachukwu said:
“Combined troops of 302 Artillery and 14 Field Engineer Regiments of the Nigerian Army, conducting operations against terrorists, have on Monday 16 October 2023 captured two locally made Artillery Projectile Launchers from fighters of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN).
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“The artillery weapons, armed with projectiles were seized alongside other items, as troops swooped on the dissident fighters, who fled in disarray, deserting their camp on sighting troops’ advancement.
“In the operation, one combatant of the dissident group was arrested and several items, including 48 rounds of 7.62 mm NATO ammunition, 4 mobile phones, one handheld communication radio, and a substance suspected to be cannabis, among others, were recovered by the troops.”
Furthermore, on the same day, the troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade executed an offensive operation against oil thieves in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
Under the leadership of Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, the Nigerian Army said it remained resolute in its mission to maintain peace and security throughout the country.
Nwachukwu said;
“Troops recovered several items from the camp, including one crude oil cooking oven, three reservoirs, several connecting hoses and pipes, three mobile phones, one power generating set, three pumping machines, one CCTV camera mounted on a tree top, a substance suspected to be cannabis and some fetish objects.
“Same troops, in a similar operation conducted the same day, uncovered and destroyed an illegal refining site, operating with several drums and crude oil ovens, laden with stolen crude oil, a dug out pit containing about 50,000 litres of crude oil and 57 sacks of illegally refined automation gas oil. Surprisingly, the sacks of illegally refined products were surreptitiously concealed in a community health centre at Egbema Shell and Egbema West respectively in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.”
