Troops of 34 Artillery Brigade, Nigerian Army, have neutralised two and arrested four gunmen of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and Eastern Security Network, ESN, in Imo.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Tuesday, said the gunmen were overpowered in a fierce gun battle along Orlu – Orsu Road in the state on Monday.
Mr Nwachukwu said the troops came in contact with elements of IPOB/ESN while on routine patrol around the general area of Aluminium Company and All Saints Church.
According to him, the criminal elements opened fire and launched a grenade attacks on the troops on sighting the patrol team.
“The vigilant troops responded with superior firepower neutralising two of the criminal elements, compelling others to flee in disarray.
“In a hot pursuit that followed the encounter, troops arrested four of the fleeing gunmen and recovered one AK 47 rifle, two magazines, one Police grenade launcher, two Baofeng communication radios, five mobile phones, one IPOB Beret, two Motorcycles, four SIM cards, five wallets containing different ID cards, afrodisiac, charms and the sum of N60,400.
“Preliminary investigation on the suspects’ mobile phones revealed gory pictures and videos, depicting scenes of cold-blooded murders, corpses displayed in shrines and other heinous atrocities committed by the criminals,” he said.
