Troops Arrest Cameroonian Gun Runner In Cross River, Raid IPOB/ESN Camp, Nab Commander

Troops of the 130 Battalion operating in 13 Brigade Area of responsibility under 82 Division Nigerian Army, in collaboration with Department of State Services, DSS, have busted a notorious syndicate of gunrunners at Obudu motorcycle park in Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River state.

Providing an update on various joint operations undertaken by the Nigerian Army with other security agencies, Onyema Nwachukwu, a Brigadier General, who’s the Director Army Public Relations said the success of the operation followed credible intelligence reports.

He said intelligence reports revealed illicit activities of the gunrunners in Obudu and Biaju general areas.

In the sting operation, the leader of the gun running syndicate was nabbed alongside his accomplices, including two Nigerians and two Cameroonians, the Army spokesman said.

He further stated that preliminary investigations revealed that t”he accomplices purchased firearms, which they in turn sell to a middle man, who supplies the arms and ammunition to Ambazonian Separatists in the Republic of Cameroon.”

The Separatist group has been waging war of independence against the Cameroonian State. It does not enjoy support from the Nigerian government.

Nwachukwu said another operation led to “the arrest of the gunrunning kingpin, Raphael aka Biajua, a Cameroonian, at Biajua community in Boki LGA of Cross River State.”

The troops also “recovered 4 Semi Automatic Pump Action Rifles and four mobile phones,” he added.

Similarly, he said troops of the 82 Division Nigerian Army under the auspices of Operation UDO KA II in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies conducted “a raid operation into the hideouts of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN), at Imufu in Igbo-Eze North, Local Government Area of Enugu State.”

The Army said the “troops subdued the group with superior firepower, neutralising two fighters and recovered three Semi Automatic Pump Action Rifles and a locally fabricated single barrel gun.”

The troop extended its operation to Udi where the Army said it “arrested a notorious ESN Commander, Ezege in a separate sting operation at Obinagu in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.

“The arrested ESN Commander, recently threatened to unleash mayhem in Enugu state via his viral video and audio message circulated on some social media platforms.

“He is currently in custody for further investigations,” Nwachukwu said in a statement on Friday.