Troops of the newly established 15 Brigade Nigerian Army, operating under the Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, have dismantled three suspected IPOB/ESN camps in Anambra State, recovering weapons, explosives, motorcycles and other logistics.
The intelligence-led operation was conducted in the early hours of Saturday, August 15, 2026, around Osuakwa, along the boundary between Ihiala and Ogbaru Local Government Areas.
The Army said troops, working with personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Agunechemba Vigilante Group, raided the identified locations following credible intelligence on the activities of suspected IPOB/ESN elements.
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According to the Army, the joint force came under attack during the operation but overpowered the suspected terrorists after a firefight. Three suspected IPOB/ESN members were killed, while the three camps were subsequently destroyed to prevent their reuse.
Recovered items included one FN rifle with 10 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, one pump-action shotgun with five cartridges, 15 sticks of dynamite and four motorcycles.
Troops also recovered a gas cylinder, three hybrid batteries, two car batteries and three handheld radio chargers, among other items.
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During further searches, troops arrested a suspected IPOB/ESN member identified as Chijioke, as well as a man and a woman described as suspected accomplices. The three were reportedly found in the company of six children.
The Brigade Commander commended the troops, DSS personnel and members of the Agunechemba Vigilante Group for what he described as effective inter-agency cooperation.
The Army said the operation represents a setback for criminal elements operating in the South East and pledged to sustain intelligence-led operations aimed at disrupting and dismantling terrorist and criminal networks across Anambra State.
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Editorial note: The descriptions of those killed, arrested and the alleged affiliation with IPOB/ESN are based on the Nigerian Army’s account and should be attributed accordingly until independently established.
