The Joint taskforce team of Aguleri warriors ( Ndi Odogwu Aguleri) aided by Police operatives were on Sunday, 23rd July 2023 engaged kidnappers in Umuewelim Anam in a firefight in which 8 Suspects were captured alive while one died on the spot.
It was a historic raid, during which the joint team secretly descended upon in a camp in Umuewelim Anam, where the suspects where living, blew down shrines and engaged them in an enemy combatant way, The goal: kill or capture kidnappers alive.
Gunfire was exchanged as the troop made their way through the first chamber and engaged the gang deputy leader, Mr Obinna, a former vigilante member and an Indigene of the Umuewelim Anam community. Obinna later escaped with injuries and the team advanced up to the second chamber.
The second chamber was an area the gang designed to keep their condemned victims. So, no victim got to this particularly spot and returned alive because the bodies were used for sacrifices. It was where the overall leader of the notorious gang, from Nnewi Anambra state was hiding.
The place was flooded with skeletons, human skulls, decomposing dead bodies in shallow graves, AK 47, guns, including some SUV cars. It was protected with some combatants used as a shield for the Nnewi born notorious gang leader.
The sole focus of the operation was to kill or capture them alive. Aguleri PG, Aguleri Youth President, Ivite Aguleri rulling council Chairman etc were in full action during the raid not undermining the effort of the DPO Otuocha police station who showed his capacity during the fight..
As we recognize the effort of the police and military on the raid, it would likely be an understatement not to see it as a “liberation moment” in Aguleri, Anam and entire Omabala area. The gang formed a parallel government and forced the Indigenes of Anam to go to bed as early as 7 pm daily. Once they rang their bell, the indigenes obeyed the order and rushed to early sleep.
Infact, they were fully in charge of the rulership of the community, flogging old women who come out to trade on Mondays while enforcing their sit at homes order. With its successful completion, the operation ended the life of the man regarded as the mastermind behind the terror attacks and the PA to the notorious Nnewi born Leader. The Man an Indigene of Nando was killed at the spot.
Out of the 9 suspects that were captured, apart from the Deceased who was an Indigene of Nando, 4 were indigenes of Anam, 2 from Abakiliki, 1 from Neni, and another suspect from Tiv Benue state. This number did not include those that escaped with bullet wounds.
With the number of Omabala indigenes dominating the gang, one can easily agree with the adage, “Oke bi na uno gwali oke di na Ezi na azu di na ngiga” Confirming the report, Spokesman of the Nigerian army, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu in a statement, said that during the clearance operation, the joint security task recovered 1 AK 47 rifle, one AKMS rifle, three Lexus SUVs and two motorcycles. He also disclosed that 8 members of the outlawed group were arrested.
The statement reads, “In the ongoing clearance operations to ensure peace and security in South East Nigeria, troops of 302 Regiment operating under 82 Division of the Nigerian Army in conjunction with Anambra Vigilante Group have destroyed camps belonging to fighters of the proscribed Indigenous people of Biafra and its Armed affiliate, the Eastern Security Network in Oroma and Umuewelum Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The troops raided the identified camps on Sunday 23 July 2023, in an effort to curb the illicit activities of the fighters in the communities. “During the raid operation, the troops recovered one AK 47 Rifle, one AKMS rifle, three Lexus SUVs and two Motorcycles.
The troops also arrested eight brigands during the operation.” Onyema also disclosed that in another clearance operation in Mmiata Anam, Anambra South, the troops eliminated one terrorist, captured one alive and recovered one AK 47 rifle, one dame gun and police uniforms.
He said, “In a separate operation, troops also raided IPOB camp at Mmiata Anam in Anambra South, where the gallant troops came in contact with the irredentist group and in the encounter, neutralized one IPOB fighter, while another was captured alive.
The troops also recovered one AK 47 Rifle, one dane gun and police uniforms. “The Nigerian Army wishes to enjoin all law abiding citizens and particularly the good and enterprising people of the South East to continue to support and cooperate with the troops and other security agencies in their effort to end the menace bedeviling the region.”
