Police Dismantle IPOB Enclave in Imo State, Recover Weapons and Biafra Currency

In a major security breakthrough, operatives of the Imo State Police Command have dismantled a suspected hideout of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in Nguru, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area.

The operation, carried out on April 23, 2026, was intelligence-driven and based on the confessional statement of a high-ranking IPOB/ESN commander, identified as Ebube Uchenna Mmaduakolam, also known as “Ebube Virus.”

According to Punch Newspaper, three suspects were arrested during the raid and are currently providing investigators with useful information about the group’s networks and planned activities.

Items recovered from the enclave include two General-Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), 3,115 rounds of ammunition, one AK-47 assault rifle, a pump-action shotgun, several surveillance drones, and Biafran currency in various denominations.

The Inspector-General of Police commended the operatives for their professionalism, describing the operation as a significant blow to the operational capacity of IPOB/ESN in the South-East.

This latest success forms part of ongoing efforts by security agencies to tackle violent extremism and restore peace in the region, where residents have long suffered from attacks and insecurity linked to the group.