Operatives of the Imo State Police Command on Thursday, August 25 raided the camp of the Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network (ESN), killing five members of the separatist movement.
They also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition made up of three English-made Pump Action guns, 118 GPMG ammunitions, 41 AK 47 live ammunition, 19 G3 ammunitions and one cut-to-size locally-made double barrel gun.
Others were one locally-made double barrel, four locally-made pistols, four locally-made explosive devices, military uniforms, police uniforms, Biafra flags, four ESN caps and one pair of police boot.
The rest were various types of hard drugs, some police accoutrements, four live tortoises, large quantities of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and pieces of red clothes.
The spokesman of the command, CSP Michael Abattam disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, August 26.
According to Abattam, the tactical teams of the command had upon gathering technical intelligence and credible information raided a new camp set up by the IPOB and its militant wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Izombe on Thursday, August 25.
He said the separatists had opened fire on the police operatives upon their arrival at the camp resulting in an exchange of fire.
The police spokesman further disclosed that the IPOB/ESN members could not withstand the superior fire power of the police hence took to their heels after sustaining critical injuries.
Having fled the camp, Abattam added that the police operatives moved in and conducted a search which yielded a cache of arms and ammunition.
The spokesman of the police in the state equally revealed that after the successful raid, the separatists who had laid ambush, unleashed fire on the returning victorious cops.
Abattam said it was the second exchange of fire that cost the separatists huge losses in manpower while three cops sustain minor injuries.
The police spokesman said the separatists later engaged in a reprisal attack in the villages, burning down houses belonging to both serving and retired police officers and other security agencies including houses of those they suspect to be informants.
But he assured that the community has been fortified with enough police operatives and other security officers to protect lives and property while efforts are being made to arrest the fleeing suspects.
