Six IPOB/ESN Militants Killed, Weapons Recovered as Security Forces Raid Camp in Anambra
By Zagazola Makama
Six suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN) have been neutralised during a joint counter-terrorism clearance operation in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The operation was conducted at about 4:45 p.m. on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at an identified camp of the outlawed militia group located in a dense forest in Amiyi, Ogbaru LGA.
According to a police source, the operation was carried out by a joint task force comprising personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, other security agencies and Agunechemba vigilantes.
The source said the security team came under fire after arriving at the suspected camp, leading to a fierce gun battle between the operatives and the armed group.
During the encounter, six suspected militants were neutralised, forcing other members of the group to retreat and escape into neighbouring bushes.
A search of the area subsequently led to the recovery of two pump-action guns, unexploded improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and assorted charms.
The security forces also destroyed the suspected camps and shrines used by the group in an effort to prevent the militants from regrouping and re-establishing their operational base in the area.
However, the operation recorded a fatality on the side of the security forces.
A soldier reportedly stepped on an IED while the team was withdrawing from the area. The explosive device detonated, killing the soldier instantly.
A vigilante operative identified as Chidera also sustained a gunshot wound to the chin during the operation.
He was evacuated to Multicare Hospital in Okpoko, where he is currently receiving treatment and responding to medical care.
The police said counter-terrorism and other crime-prevention operations are continuing in the area as security agencies intensify efforts to track down fleeing members of the group and prevent further attacks.
Further developments, according to the command, will be communicated as the operation progresses.
