The Nigerian Army announced that troops of the 82 Division and the Joint Task Force, South-East, operating under “Operation UDO KA,” have dismantled camps belonging to two armed groups in the South-East. Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 82 Division, disclosed the development in a statement on Wednesday in Enugu.
According to Unuakhalu, four members of the armed groups were neutralized, while 14 people held hostage were successfully rescued during the operations. The troops also cracked down on illegal oil bunkering activities in their operational area.
The military encounter began early Tuesday, October 22, when troops from Sector 5 of Operation UDO KA and other security agencies confronted the armed groups in the Igbo Ukwu and Uga areas of Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State.
“During the firefight, the troops’ superior firepower forced the criminals to flee in disarray,” Unuakhalu said. He added that one armed group member was killed, and the troops recovered two black Lexus SUVs without registration plates, along with one pump-action shotgun and three cartridges.
In another engagement on Monday, October 21, troops stationed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Lilu neutralized two terrorists who had planted Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along the supply route. The operation also yielded the recovery of a shotgun, one solar CCTV camera, several IEDs, large pipe-borne explosives, and eight batteries.
Unuakhalu further reported that on Wednesday, October 9, troops stormed an armed group’s hideout in Enugwu Umuonyia community in Aguata LGA, forcing the terrorists to abandon their weapons and flee. Additional operations were conducted on October 10 in Lilu community, aimed at preventing the groups from regaining operational control.
Similar operations in Ohafia LGA, Abia State, and Umu-Abor Lilu, Anambra, resulted in the rescue of an expatriate and three workers of DATUM Construction Company.
The military pledged to maintain pressure on the armed groups, emphasizing their commitment to restoring peace and order in the region.
