The Nigerian army says pro-Biafra gunmen terrorising residents of the South-east were mainly condemned criminals that escaped from Owerri Prison Facility during the infamous jail break in Imo State.
The spokesperson of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Jonah Unuakhalu, in a statement, said the army made the discovery when troops of Operation Udo Ka II, conducted a clearance operation in the state on Friday.
Udo Ka II is a military operation in the South-East.
Mr Unuakhalu, a lieutenant colonel, said the operation was conducted on Friday along Ihioma – Ihittenansa in Orsu Local Government Area in Imo State and in Okigwe – Umulolo in Okigwe Local Government Area of the state.
The army spokesperson said the operation was conducted a day after a similar operation in the area, which was a follow up to efforts to track down some suspected members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network.
“These terrorists, mostly the condemned criminals that escaped from Owerri jail break, are low lives that are being used by a criminal abroad to unleash mayhem on all of us,” Mr Unuakhalu said.
Armed persons, on 5 April 2021, attacked the Owerri Correctional Centre and freed a total of 1,844 prisoners, authorities had said.
There had been suspicion among residents of the South-east that some of the inmates who escaped from the Owerri facility might be responsible for the growing attacks in the region.
Mr Unuakhalu, in the statement, said two suspected IPOB members were arrested during the clearance operations in Imo State.
The spokesperson said the operations were “aimed at identifying and destroying” the camps of suspected IPOB members who allegedly kill, maim and extort innocent residents of the region under the guise of being Biafra agitators.
“During the simultaneous clearance operations at Umulolo, one of the troops’ vehicles was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED). However, no causality was recorded.
“Troops also came in contact with the terrorists who fled into the nearby bushes with gunshot wounds due to superior fire power. Two suspects were arrested,” he said.
Two locally made guns, ammunition, one PKT machine gun barrel, one big locally made rocket propelled launcher and IED-making materials were among the items recovered from the suspects, according to the army.
Others include, three CCTV cameras, two laptops and a charger, eight mobile phones, three boots, camouflage shorts, two motorcycles and a beret.
“Three shrines used by the terrorists for fortification were destroyed,” he said.
Mr Unuakhalu said the troops, despite encountering the IEDs, further engaged some IPOB terrorists in Eke Ututu, Orsu Local Government Area of the state “where they cleared the hoodlums.”
The spokesperson said the terrorists, during the military operation, fled with gunshot wounds into forests of Lilu in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State and Mother Valley in Orsumoghu in Nnewi South Local Government Area of the state.
He urged residents of the South-east region to support the military and other security agencies with “timely, credible and reliable Information” to end security challenges in the region.