Troops Arrest Founding Father of IPOB in Imo State

The Military High Command has announced the arrest of Pius Iguh, the founding figure of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

The announcement was made by Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, during a press briefing in Abuja.

He provided an update on the military’s ongoing operations against insurgent activities across Nigeria as of October 24.

Iguh was apprehended in Imo State during a sting operation carried out by the troops of Forward Base Operation (FOB) in the South East theatre. Major General Buba stated, “Troops continue to deepen operational successes across the various theatres of operation. For instance, in the South East theatre, troops at FOB Orsu conducted a sting operation that culminated in the arrest of an IPOB terrorist leader.

The arrested terrorist leader, identified as Pius Iguh, is a founding father of ESN group in Orsu general area of Imo State.”

In a related operation, troops from FOB Amaruku arrested Emmanuel Onwugu, another IPOB commander, in Mbano Local Government Area of Abia State. Additionally, security forces also captured Ifeanyi Rock, a notorious cult leader, along with ten of his associates, in Arochukwu, Abia State.

During the week, the military reported neutralizing 140 insurgents and arresting 135 individuals involved in various illegal activities. In anti-oil theft operations, 18 suspects were arrested, while 76 kidnapped hostages were rescued. The military also thwarted an attempted oil theft operation worth N1.75 billion.

Weapons and ammunition seized during these operations included 141 AK-47 rifles, one PKT gun, two FN rifles, 17 fabricated rifles, 26 Dane guns, 13 pump-action guns, four locally made pistols, one Beretta pistol, two bayonets, and 42 AK-47 magazines.

They also recovered 2,016 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 970 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 33 rounds of 7.62x54mm ammunition, and 113 live cartridges. In addition to weapons, the troops seized N79,052,150 in cash, 19 US dollars, 31 motorcycles, 18 mobile phones, and three vehicles.

In the Niger Delta, the military destroyed 33 crude oil processing ovens, 19 dugout pits, 41 boats, 70 drums, 22 storage tanks, and 47 illegal refining sites. They also recovered 1,122,710 liters of stolen crude oil and 557,210 liters of illegally refined automotive gas oil (AGO).

“The military assures that it will defeat the terrorists on the battlefield and in their hiding places so the country can flourish again,” said Major General Buba. He called on citizens to support the military’s efforts and deny terrorists any opportunity to thrive.

He concluded by stating that ongoing counter-terrorism operations have significantly weakened the capacity of terrorist groups, preventing them from achieving their strategic goals. “As the war wages, troops continue to find innovative solutions to the challenges faced in the conduct of operations and retain operational flexibility.”

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