Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Troops of the newly established 15 Brigade of the Nigerian Army have dismantled three suspected camps belonging to the Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, in a major intelligence-led operation conducted in the early hours of Saturday, August 15, 2026. The operation, which took place along the boundary between Ihiala and Ogbaru Local Government Areas of Anambra State, resulted in the neutralisation of three suspected IPOB/ESN members and the recovery of a significant cache of weapons, explosives and logistics.
Acting on credible intelligence regarding the activities of suspected IPOB/ESN operatives operating from camps located at Osuakwa, troops of the 15 Brigade, operating under the Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, launched a carefully coordinated dawn raid on the identified locations. The operation was conducted in collaboration with personnel of the Department of State Services and members of the Agunechemba Vigilante Group, according to a statement by the Nigerian Army on Saturday.
During the operation, the joint security force came under hostile fire from the suspected terrorists but responded decisively, overwhelming the criminals after a fierce firefight. Three suspected IPOB/ESN members were neutralised, while all three camps were successfully overrun and destroyed to prevent their future use as operational bases. Troops also recovered a cache of weapons, explosives and other items, including one FN rifle with 10 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, one pump-action shotgun with five cartridges, and 15 sticks of dynamite. Other recovered items included four motorcycles, one gas cylinder, three hybrid batteries, two car batteries and three handheld radio chargers.
Further exploitation of the area led to the arrest of a suspected IPOB/ESN member identified as Chijioke, alongside a man and a woman suspected of being accomplices. The three suspects were reportedly found in the company of six children during the operation, raising concerns about the presence of minors in the camps.
The Commander of the 15 Brigade commended the troops, DSS personnel and members of the Agunechemba Vigilante Group for their courage, discipline and outstanding inter-agency cooperation. He described the operation as another major setback for criminal and terrorist elements seeking to undermine peace and security in the South-East. The Nigerian Army assured residents that the newly established brigade would continue to sustain aggressive intelligence-led operations in collaboration with other security agencies and local stakeholders to locate, disrupt and dismantle terrorist and criminal networks.
The Brigade said it remains resolute in its commitment to denying all criminal elements freedom of action and ensuring the safety and security of law-abiding residents across Anambra State and the wider South-East region. IPOB has consistently rejected the Nigerian government's classification of its activities as terrorism, while the authorities have continued to accuse the group and ESN of attacks on security personnel, government facilities and other targets in the South-East.
The dismantling of the three camps in Anambra State is part of a broader military campaign to degrade the operational capabilities of IPOB and ESN across the South-East. The military has intensified its operations in recent months, targeting the group's logistics networks and hideouts. The recovery of dynamite and other explosives from the camps is particularly significant, as it suggests that the group may have been planning more sophisticated attacks. The presence of children in the camps also raises troubling questions about the recruitment of minors by the group.
The operation has drawn mixed reactions from the public. While some have commended the military for its efforts to restore peace in the region, others have expressed concern about the potential for civilian casualties and the impact of military operations on local communities. The military has consistently maintained that its operations are targeted and intelligence-led, and that it takes every precaution to avoid civilian harm.
As the military continues its operations in the South-East, the people of Anambra State and the wider region are left to hope that the dismantling of the three camps will bring them one step closer to lasting peace. For now, the message from the military is clear: the era of impunity for IPOB and ESN is over, and those who threaten the peace and security of the nation will be met with the full force of the law.
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