The Nigeria Police Force says it has dismantled a suspected IPOB/ESN enclave in Imo State and recovered a cache of weapons, ammunition, and surveillance equipment during a targeted security operation.
In a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, the police said operatives of the Imo State Command carried out the operation on April 23, 2026, at a hideout located in Nguru, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of the state.
According to the statement, the raid followed intelligence obtained from the confessional statement of a suspected high-ranking IPOB/ESN commander identified as Ebube Uchenna Mmaduakolam, also known as “Ebube Virus.”
Police said three suspects were arrested during the operation and are currently in custody assisting investigators with information on the group’s logistics network, structure, and planned operations.
Items recovered from the hideout included two General-Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), 3,115 rounds of GPMG ammunition, one AK-47 rifle, a pump-action shotgun, surveillance drones, and Biafra currency in different denominations.
The Inspector-General of Police commended the operatives involved in the operation, describing the recovery as a major setback for the operational capacity of the IPOB/ESN network in the South-East.
“The recovery of this substantial arsenal significantly degrades the operational capacity of the IPOB/ESN extremist network in the South-East region and represents a decisive blow against their campaign of terror,” the statement said.
The police reiterated their commitment to combating violent extremism and maintaining public safety across the country.
