The Joint Security Taskforce in Imo State, otherwise known as Operation Udoka, has arrested over twenty suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its security outfit, Eastern Security Network (ESN), in a joint clearance operation.

This was as the security team raided and destroyed their camps at Aku Community in Okigwe Council Area of the state, dislodging them from the community.

Aside from recovering several stolen vehicles, arms, and ammunition, including explosive devices during the operation, shallow graves suspected to be where kidnapped victims killed by the hoodlums were buried were discovered.

The Commander in charge of the 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Brig. Gen. U. A. Lawal; the State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma; and Special Adviser to the Imo State Government, Rt. Gen. Joseph Ogbonna, made the disclosure during an assessment visit to the community on Tuesday.

They reiterated the commitment of both the state government and the joint security operatives to rid the state of criminal elements and restore lasting peace and stability.

The security chiefs, who commended their men for their gallant dispositions and achievements during the operation, also urged the indigenes of the community and Imo citizens at large to continue supporting and collaborating with efforts to achieve adequate security in the state.

Speaking, Brig. Gen. Lawal and CP Danjuma further disclosed that those arrested would be thoroughly investigated to ascertain their involvement in criminal activities in the area, adding that those found culpable would be dealt with according to the law.

They also said that efforts were in place to exhume the corpses buried in the shallow graves for possible identification and proper burial, while identified recovered stolen items would be handed over to their owners.

?Prior to now, you couldn?t enter this community because criminal elements had taken over here, but today, we are here. Through this operation, we have been able to bring back peace here again.

?Unfortunately, you can see the level of destruction here, carried out by these criminal elements. And we want to assure the people of Imo that we will not stop until these elements are all arrested,? Lawal said.

On his part, Danjuma declared the operation a success, adding that ?so many arrests have been made. So many achievements have been recorded. As you have seen, we have visited their court where they passed judgments and jungle justice. We have visited their detention center. We have seen where they buried their victims in shallow graves.?

Other security chiefs at the visit included the Director of the Department of State Security Service, Shola Aguda; Commander Naval Base, Oguta, Commodore M. B. Salisu; and the State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Mr. Modest Osakwe, among others.

Aku Community, The Guardian gathered, has been under the siege of IPOB under the leadership of one Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta, popularly known as Gentle, who is an indigene of the community.

The Guardian also observed during the visit that while all indigenes of the community had deserted the area, churches, schools, markets, and other socio-economic facilities in the community were all destroyed by suspected members of the proscribed group. (The Guardian)

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