By STANLEY NWANOSIKE

Troops of 82 Division, Nigerian Army and the Joint Task Force, South-East, code-named ?Operation UDO KA? say they have smashed camps of two armed groups operating within the South-East.

This is contained in a statement by Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, Acting Deputy Director, 82 Division, Army Public Relations, on Wednesday in Enugu.

Unuakhalu said four members of the groups were ?neutralised? while 14 persons held hostage by the groups were rescued.

Unuakhalu said that the operation, which was well-executed operations, also led to the clamped down on the activities of illegal oil bunkers within its joint operation area.

According to him, early hours of Tuesday, Oct. 22, troops of Sector 5 of Operation UDO KA and other security agencies came in contact with the groups at Igbo Ukwu and Uga axis of Aguata council area of Anambra.

?During the fire fight, the troops? superior firepower forced the criminals to flee in disarray.

During the encounter, one member of the groups was neutralised, two black coloured Lexus Jeeps with no registration number and one pump action gun with three cartridges were recovered.

?On Monday, Oct. 21, troops deployed at FOB Lilu also came in contact with the terrorist group after detonating the Improvise Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted along the supply route.

?The troops successfully neutralised two of the terrorists, recovered one pump action short gun, one solar CCTV camera, three large pipe-Borne IED, seven IEDs and eight batteries,? he said.

Unuakhalu said that similarly, troops of the Joint Task Force on Wednesday, Oct. 9, stormed one of the group?s hideout in the Enugwu Umuonyia community in Aguata council area of Anambra.

He said that the group members were overwhelmed in the ensuing firefight, as the terrorists fled, leaving behind a cache of arms and logistics.

?The troops swiftly searched and destroyed the hideouts, recovering 78 rounds of 7.62mm and 39mm ammunition, 13 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 20 live cartridges, a pump-action gun, a locally fabricated pistol, an AK-56 magazine and six vehicles found within the camp.

?The stolen vehicles were those stolen from well-meaning Igbos of the region by the criminal elements,? he said.

The spokesman noted that in the same vein, on Oct. 10; troops of 82 Division carried out an ambush operation in Lilu community in Anambra to deter the irredentist freedom of action.

He said that the troops also carried out similar operations in Ohafia LGA of Abia and Umu-Abor Lilu in Anambra where the troops successfully rescued an expatriate and three staff of DATUM Construction Company.

He said, ?Also on Thursday, Oct. 10, 10 sports journalists, who were earlier kidnapped on their way to Uyo were rescued.

?During the rescue operation, troops arrested one suspected kidnapper and recovered three SUV jeeps.

?The rescue operations were conducted in Ajalli-Ugbuntra, Orumba South LGA, Aguleri/Amarulu village, Ihiala both in Anambra State and Orlu LGA in Imo State as well as Umuahia North LGA in Abia State.? (NAN)

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