Ajali Forest is located in Ezeagu Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State, and it’s about an hour’s drive from the Headquarters of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army in Enugu, the state capital.
The Division anchors military operations across the five Southeast region and Cross River under the code name Operation Udo ka (OP UDOKA).
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A community school abandoned due to activities by suspected members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) still stands close to the forest, a visible proof of the precarious security situation in the South-East.
Repeated security incidents in the local government include invasion by armed groups, proliferation of kidnapping, communal clashes, as well as farmer–herder conflicts.
The situation, having escalated, led to offensive military operations in the Ajali Forest on separate occasions in December 2025.
According to the Nigerian Army, the operations led to the destruction of eight suspected ESN camps and the recovery of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) materials, hand-held explosives and locally made hand grenades among others.
Speaking during a media tour of the 82 Division, the Commander of the ongoing operation, Maj. M.B. Abdulrahman said the vast Ajali Forest had served as a hideout for armed groups due to its location between Enugu and Anambra.
A trip to Ajali Forest
The Chairman of Ezeagu LGA, Dr Vita Ndu, corroborated the military’s account of the security situation in the area during the tour of the forest.
Ndu said that before the military intervention, the local government experienced sustained tension, intimidation, and criminal activity. But a new lease of life has descended on the area.
“There were no kidnappings within the festive period. People who returned stayed, enjoyed themselves, and travelled back freely,” the chairman said.
Despite this development, Maj. Abdulrahman noted that the general security situation within the sector “remained unpredictable”.
THE WHISTLER travelled with an army team to Ajali Forest, a vast woodland with valleys and rivers.
Along the fringes of the cleared pathway, labourers were seen supporting ongoing operations, including the use of five bulldozers to remove obstacles and improve visibility across surrounding areas of the forest.
Some sections of the bush had been burnt, according to the military as part of efforts to prevent reoccupation of the area.
A hole about one foot deep was visible in the ground. The Army said it was the point where IEDs planted by the armed group were detonated along the road leading to former hideouts.
Challenges Across OP UDOKA Areas
The criminal activities of armed groups extend beyond Enugu to other South-East states and Cross River under OP UDOKA.
According to the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. Oluremi Fadairo, the Areas of Operation (AOO) are also challenged by cultism, misinformation, and the politicisation of counter-insurgency operations.
Fadairo also noted that communal land feuds remain a fluid security concern, requiring a dynamic and adaptive approach.
During a subsequent tour to Sector 2 of OP UDOKA (responsible for military operations in Ebonyi and Cross River States), THE WHISTLER learnt about the ongoing efforts in addressing these concerns.
Communities bordering Ebonyi and Cross River States have repeatedly recorded disputes over ancestral and farm lands.
They include Amagu in Ikwo LGA of Ebonyi and Adadama in Abi LGA of Cross River. Others are Oferekpe in Izzi LGA of Ebonyi and Ogada LGA in Cross River, as well as Biase LGA, also in Cross River State.
It was on this basis that a Forward Operating Base (FOB) was established in Biase, due to persistent communal conflicts involving about 10 communities across Cross River and Ebonyi States, according to the GOC of Sector 2, Operation Udoka, Maj. Gen. I.F. Chileo.
He noted that while the lack of data undermines both military and other security agencies’ ability to adequately assess interventions, Sector 2 OP UDOKA has identified measures to address the region’s security threats.
One of these measures includes a centralised intelligence coordination centre for intelligence mapping, database development, and threat analysis, expected to come into full use in less than three years.
He said the use of handheld radios for communication between headquarters and response areas has proven effective for the Sector.
“It’s very effective. From here, we can communicate as far as Calabar and other states,” Chileo noted, expressing confidence in the Sector’s Stand-by Force for quick intervention.
Military-Community Engagement
Meanwhile, grassroots intelligence remains a critical component in the ongoing approach to improving security in the Division’s AOO.
This informed a subsequent tour to Ikwo LGA, the largest LGA in Ebonyi, where an interactive session was held between community stakeholders and the military
Journalists proceeded from the Nkwagu Military Cantonment, Headquarter Sector 2 OP UDOKA in Abakaliki to the FOB in Ikwo LGA, Ebonyi, to assess the security situation.
The Council, while commending the military for its intervention at the grassroots level, highlighted challenges within the communities, including sympathisers of criminal elements and the spread of false information over land disputes.
Stakeholders also sought clarification on the boundary of military intervention in relation to other agencies, as well as the process for accessing support, particularly in communities difficult to navigate by vehicles.
Findings by THE WHISTLER indicated that some communities become inaccessible during certain seasons, especially the rainy period.
This includes Ndiagu Amagu, Item Amagu, Akahufu Inyimagu, Akahufu Ekpaomaka and Ochokwu Inyimagu.
Responding, the GOC Sector 2, OP UDOKA, said motorcycles are available for such areas, noting that existing channels of communication remain free of bottlenecks during distress situations.
He added that the spread of false information related to land disputes or civil matters would not be condoned.
The President General of the Ikwo Noyo Youth Consultative, Dr Onyechi Nwankwo recalled the inhabitable situation of the area before the establishment of the FOB in Ikwo.
“Before now, it has been something you can’t imagine. Some youths used to leave the town for Abakiliki towards evening because of the horrific nature of the place,” Nwankwo said.
In August 2025, a communal clash between Ekpaomaka and Inyimagu communities in Ikwo LGA led to the death of four.
On the issue of sporadic shooting, the GOC refuted such development, saying, “It is part of the military training that if there is a need to fire somebody, it means the person has crossed his boundaries, and is now a threat to either you the soldier or his fellow Nigerian.
”It is part of the rules of engagement, we are very clear on that. A soldier cannot just come to your community and open fire. It is not part of our engagement,” he said, noting that troops are, however, subjected to constant training to reinforce their limits.
Consequently, the Traditional Ruler of Ikwo, HRH Eze Dominic Ibor Alo, emphasised the need for prior communication by the Army with community leaders before carrying out operations in the area to promote synergy and effectiveness.
The Chairman of Ikwo LGA, Sunday Nwankwo commended the Operation Udoka and reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to sustained collaboration, including identifying suspicious individuals and sympathisers of criminal elements within the communities.
THE WHISTLER observed that the media tour across Enugu, Ebonyi, and Cross River under OP UDOKA reveals the complexity and evolving nature of security challenges in the region.
However, military intervention, intelligence coordination, and community engagement have proven effective in strengthening local security and allowing residents to return safely as evidenced during the Yuletide, according to the Nigerian Army.