Troops of the Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, have raided suspected strongholds of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, neutralising one insurgent and recovering a cache of weapons and improvised explosive device (IED) components.
The coordinated dawn offensive, executed on Saturday, August 22, 2026, involved the military’s Maritime Component, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Anambra Vigilante Group, targeting identified locations at Obene and Abator villages within the Ochuche and Umunankwo communities.
According to military sources, advancing troops came under fire from IPOB/ESN elements, who subsequently abandoned their positions and fled into the surrounding terrain. Troops returned fire and gave chase, with blood stains observed along the withdrawal route—indicating that several fleeing combatants sustained gunshot wounds during the exchange.
During the pursuit, troops neutralised one member of the group, while other fleeing elements escaped with the corpse of another individual believed to have been fatally struck.
The operation successfully dislodged the group from the identified locations, preventing them from maintaining operational bases in the area. A subsequent search of the abandoned strongholds yielded two pump-action shotguns, two motorcycles, IED-making materials, and other sundry items.
Following the raid, troops consolidated their positions and expanded search efforts into surrounding areas to track fleeing members and forestall any regrouping.
The offensive forms part of Operation UDO KA’s broader campaign to disrupt armed groups and criminal networks operating across the South East. The military has reaffirmed its commitment to sustained coordinated operations aimed at denying insurgents safe havens, degrading their operational capabilities, and enhancing security for law-abiding residents in the region.