_…as Commissioner of Police assures of continuous security of citizens_
_…notorious ESN factional leader, Ekpa, accuses Kanu, the police of colluding to kill members_
A joint security operation made up of the Special Forces of the Nigeria Police Force and troops of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army has foiled attempts by members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) called unknown gunmen, an armed wing of the factional Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) loyal to the Auto-Pilot leader, Simon Ekpa, to launch an attack on innocent citizens in Enugu State.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Enugu State Police Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, the joint security operation, while acting on intelligence early Monday morning, trailed the movement of the unknown gunmen to their camp in Ezioha Mgbowo Community in Awgu local government area of the state where some of the unknown gunmen were neutralized, with many others escaping into the bush with “severe degrees of fatal gunshots in the ensuing gunfight”.
The statement issued by the PPRO, Monday morning, further disclosed that 3 members of the terrorist group who opened fire on the security agencies on sighting them were neutralized with many dangerous weapons recovered from the hoodlums, while their camps were destroyed.
The police had already launched an intense manhunt on the escaping hoodlums while enjoining members of the public to report individuals sighted with gunshot injuries to the nearest police station.
While commending the joint security team for the huge success in ensuring that residents could go about their normal businesses without harassment or intimidation, the Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, reassured members of the public that the current administration of Governor Peter Mbah would continue to prioritize their safety.
“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, while commending the joint team, has reassured the security and safety of citizens as they go about their lawful businesses in the state.
“He reiterated the avowed commitment of the police and other security forces to sustain the onslaught against unrepentant violent criminals, operating under any guise,” the statement further read.
Reacting to the killings, arrest and destruction of the ESN terrorists and their illegal camps on his verified X (formerly known as Twitter) handle, the self-acclaimed leader of the Auto Pilot, a breakaway faction of ESN, Ekpa, who is based in Finland, has accused Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, the police and the state government of colluding to attack his armed sit-at-home enforcers.
Ekpa, had on Monday, taken to X to lament the loss of his men in the hands of the police and the army, saying the instruction to kill the militia group loyal to him, which he renamed Biafra Liberation Army, was as a result of Kanu’s alleged compromise to collect huge bribe from the Nigeria government and eventually negotiate his release out of custody.
It would be recalled that Mazi Kanu had made a handwritten note on 24 July, 2023 directing Ekpa to stop enforcing the unlawful sit at home order in the Southeast zone, warning that any attempt to disobey his instruction would mean Ekpa was no longer his follower.
“Simon, this is a direct order from me. I hereby instruct that you to desist from calling for any sit-at-home henceforth. Equally, refrain from antagonizing Governors or persons in political positions because you are not in a position to know what they are doing on my behalf. I am ordering you to make a public announcement to the effect that you are in receipt of a direct order from me to cancel any pending Sit-at-Home in place at the moment,” part of the letter from Kanu to Ekpa read.
The IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, had also issued press statements cancelling the illegal sit-at-home and disassociating the group from Ekpa and his criminal activities, enjoining members of the public to disregard any order from the Finland based Auto-Pilot factional terrorist.
