Troops of the Nigerian Army, in cooperation with sister security agencies, have raided and destroyed the supreme headquarters of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) at mother valley, Orsu council area of Imo.
The Force Commander, Joint Task Force South-East, Operation Udo Ka, Maj.-Gen. Hassan Dada, disclosed this while addressing newsmen at Eke Ututu, Orsu Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo on Friday.
The Operation Udo Ka which started on February 11, 2024, involved troops of the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force as well as personnel of the Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Services and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The Commander said the troops cleared and liberated Ihiteukwa, Eke Ututu and Ihittenansa towns, all in Imo, as well as Orsumoghu and Lilu towns in Ihiala and Ekwusigo LGAs of Anambra.
He said that the headquarters, which served as the last IPOB stronghold, is located in the Mother Valley and spans Orsu and Ihiala LGAs of Imo and Anambra.
“It is about 5,000 feet below sea level,” Dada disclosed.
He added that the well concealed forest location afforded the terrorists good cover from air surveillance and served as their command and control centre and military council headquarters.
He also said that during the raid, the last of which occurred on Thursday, March 7, the gallant troops encountered, detonated and recovered many Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
He further said the troops also came in contact with the terrorists, subdued them with superior fire power and neutralized many of them while others with varying degrees of gunshot wounds fled into surrounding bushes.
Dada commended Imo and Anambra people for their cooperation with security agencies while requesting them to report any strange faces in their communities to the Operation Udo Ka by dialing the emergency line 193.