The Nigerian Army has said its troops neutralised two gunmen suspected to be members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra and its Eastern Security Network along Orlu-Orsu Road, Imo State.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday obtained by Hotmedia.ng
He said the Eastern Security Network, ESN operatives were overpowered on Monday after they engaged the troops in a fierce encounter while enforcing “the illegal sit at home order on law abiding citizens going about their legitimate businesses.”
The statement read, “The troops, while on routine patrol made contact with elements of IPOB/ESN around the general area of Aluminium Company and All Saints Church. On sighting the patrol team, the criminal elements opened fire and launched grenade attack on the troops.
“The vigilant troops responded with superior firepower neutralizing two of the criminal elements, compelling others to flee in disarray. In a hot pursuit that followed the encounter, troops arrested four of the fleeing gunmen and recovered one AK 47 rifle, two magazines, one police grenade launcher, two Baofeng communication radios, five mobile phones, one IPOB Beret, two motorcycles, four SIM cards, five wallets containing different ID cards, afrodisiac, charms and the sum of N6,460.
“Preliminary investigation on the suspects’ mobile phones reveals gory pictures and videos depicting scenes of cold blooded murders, corpses displayed in shrines and other heinous atrocities committed by the criminals.”
