The Nigeria Police Force has recorded a major breakthrough in its ongoing crackdown on violent extremism and organized criminal networks, following the dismantling of a suspected IPOB/ESN enclave in Imo State.
Operatives of the Imo State Police Command carried out the intelligence-led operation on April 23, 2026, at a hideout located in Nguru, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of the state.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, the operation was based on actionable intelligence obtained from the confession of a suspected senior IPOB/ESN commander, Ebube Uchenna Mmaduakolam, popularly known as “Ebube Virus.”
The police said three suspects were arrested during the raid and are currently in custody, assisting investigators with information on the group’s logistics chain, operational structure, and planned activities.
Items recovered from the hideout included two General-Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), 3,115 rounds of GPMG ammunition, one AK-47 rifle, one pump-action shotgun, several surveillance drones, and Biafra currency in different denominations.
The Inspector-General of Police commended the operatives involved in the operation for what he described as their professionalism, bravery, and tactical efficiency.
The IGP stated that the seizure of the weapons and equipment had significantly weakened the operational capacity of the IPOB/ESN network in the South-East and dealt a major blow to the group’s activities.
The Force reiterated its commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the country while sustaining efforts to combat terrorism, violent extremism, and other criminal threats.
