By STANLEY NWANOSIKE

Police operatives in Enugu have raided the camp of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) in a forest in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two members of the outlawed group were neutralised during the raid.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement on Wednesday that the feat was achieved by the police, in collaboration with the Neighborhood Watch Group, around 2 a.m. on Wednesday.

Ndukwe said that the raid was conducted following intelligence report on the activities of the group in the forest and its general area.

He stated that the criminal elements opened fire on the operatives upon sighting them.

“However, the police operatives returned fire at a superior level, forcing the criminals to escape with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.

“Thereafter, two of the fleeing suspects’ lifeless bodies were discovered and recovered in the forest.

“Police also recovered one AK-47 rifle, four magazines loaded with a total of 75 live 7.62 mm calibre ammunition and one Beretta pistol loaded with eight live 0.9 mm calibre ammunition.

“Further recovered were: one KC Sanya and Honda Today, lady’s motorcycles, one GTB ATM card, a cash sum of N2,600 and several raw food items. The manhunt for others on the run is ongoing,” he said.

Ndukwe said that preliminary investigations suggested that the group was responsible for numerous heinous crimes in Nsukka area of the state, including the recent attack and murder of police and other security personnel.

He said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu, commended the team for the success of the operation.

The spokesman said that the commissioner called on owners of medical outfits and the public to quickly report individuals sighted with gunshot wounds to the police.

“The commissioner further directs Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Heads of Tactical Squads to remain steadfast and ensure that they further identify hideouts and hunt down die-hard criminal elements in their respective operational jurisdictions,” he said. (NAN)

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