Enugu Police raids IPOB/ESN camp, kills 3 in gun duel

… recovers firearms, ammunition, other exhibits

Juliana Francis

The Enugu State Police Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Ammani, has lauded Operatives, who stormed the dreaded den of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN), killed three, injured many and recovered weapons.

Ammani, while soliciting citizens’ support in fighting crime and criminality in the state, urged them to report individuals with gunshot wounds to the nearest police station.

The State Police spokesman, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Daniel Ndukwe, explaining how the Police raided the insurgents’ camps and engaged them in bloody combat, said: “ A combined team of Police Special Forces and Operatives serving in Igbo-Eze North Police Division of Enugu State Command, in the morning hours of today, 10^th of August, 2023, raided an IPOB/ESN camp, at Imufu in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area and were engaged in a gun duel by the subversive criminal elements.

“However, three of the hoodlums were neutralised in the ensuing gunfight, while many others escaped with varying degrees of severe gunshot wounds. Four Pump Action guns, one locally fabricated revolver gun, and one pistol each, 67 live cartridges, military camouflage uniforms, fabrics of IPOB insignia, objects suspected to be amulets, and other incriminating exhibits were recovered.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that the criminal elements were responsible for the shooting and killing of two Neighbourhood Watch Group security personnel on 21^st of July 2023 at about 1:am, at Umuagama in Enugu-Ezike community of Igbo-Eze North L.G.A., and had also made several attempts to enforce the illegal sit-at-home order in some parts of the L.G.A.”

The Commissioner of Police, while reaffirming the Police’s unwavering commitment to weed out unrepentant criminals in the State. He also praised his men for successfully executing the operation, tasking them and others to remain firm, resilient and maintain the tempo.

The CP further solicits the continued support of citizens of the State, while urging residents of Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area and owners of medical facilities in particular, to promptly report individuals sighted with gunshot wounds to the nearest Police Station.