Troops turning tide against terrorist groups in Southeast
Troops of Exercise Golden Dawn III, along with the Nigerian Navy, the NPF, and local vigilante groups, conducted a focused operation based on reliable intelligence, which led to recent successes being recorded in the fight against terrorist groups in the South East.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said in a statement that the operation’s objective was to take down the camps of the IPOB and their armed branch, the ESN, in the vicinity of Orsumoghu, Anambra State.
The troops managed to clear and demolish the IPOB/ESN camps, capturing one terrorist, while the rest escaped with injuries from gunshots. A pump-action rifle was also recovered during the operation.
Furthermore, on Saturday, December 9, 2023, troops on patrol along the Orsumoghu~Ukpor road in Ihiala Local Government Area came across members of the separatist groups. The security forces’ overwhelming firepower made the criminals flee their positions. Items that were seized included 27 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammunition, 3 homemade hand grenades, 2 walkie-talkies, an NPF uniform, a fragmental jacket, and various amulets.
The General Officer Commanding 82 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Hassan Taiwo Dada, urged the public to assist the Nigerian Army and other security agencies with trustworthy information through Emergency Telephone Line 193 to improve the fight against terrorism and other crimes.
He also urged citizens to continue their normal daily routines and businesses without any fear of harassment.
Exercise Golden Dawn III was recently launched in the Southeast region to strengthen the security structure of the area during and after the festive season. This operation demonstrates the security forces’ dedication to upholding peace and order in the region.