Police kill 6 terrorists in Imo

The Imo State Police Command has killed six notorious terrorist leaders linked to the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the state.

In a statement, the force’s Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said three of the six individuals identified as Ifeanyi Anayo, also known as Zuma De Rock (28), Chukwuemeka Odionyenfe, also known as Nmimi (22), and Kingsley Sunday (21), were natives of Ogube, Ihube in Okigwe Local Government Area.

According to him, these individuals were implicated in several violent incidents, including April 5, 2021, attack on the Owerri Correctional Center, the brutal killing of five policemen in Umunna, Okigwe, on December 12, 2022, and the arson attack on Arondizuogu Police Station on February 8, 2022.

He said they were involved in a series of kidnappings, such as the abduction of WAEC staff on June 5, 2023, the kidnapping of four reverend sisters on August 21, 2022, and the kidnapping of four Chinese nationals on December 6, 2023.

The Force PRO said following credible intelligence, the Command’s tactical unit located the terrorists’ hideout in a forest within Ihube, Okigwe Local Government Area, stressing that during the operation, police officers came under heavy gunfire from suspected IPOB/ESN militants.

Muyiwa underscored the personnel’s courage despite engaging the attackers in a fierce firefight.

He said they recovered five AK-47 rifles, 552 rounds of live ammunition, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), various communication equipment, and eight operational motorcycles.

The statement added that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has commended the officers for their bravery and exceptional coordination and urged police operatives across the country to maintain the momentum and continue implementing the Force’s action plan to significantly reduce crime during the first quarter of 2025.

In June 2024, the Nigerian Army killed six terrorists in Igboro Forest, Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State.

The Troops of Operation UDO KA successfully raided the camp of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

PR