Troops of the 82 Division Garrison, operating under Sector 1 of Operation UDO KA, have uncovered a suspected Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) arms cache concealed inside a piggery in Enugu State, recovering a large stockpile of weapons and ammunition.
Disclosing this on Wednesday, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Lt.-Col. Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, said the operation was carried out in collaboration with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) as part of the ongoing Operation Eastern Sanity II aimed at dismantling criminal networks in the South-East.
According to him, security operatives acted on credible intelligence obtained from previously arrested IPOB/ESN suspects and conducted a follow-up operation on June 9 in Gariki, Enugu South Local Government Area.
During the raid, troops discovered a clandestine arms hideout concealed within a zinc structure disguised as a piggery. A search of the facility led to the recovery of an assortment of weapons, including General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), an RPG-7 launcher tube, AK-47 rifles, hand grenades, a tear gas gun with cartridges, several AK-47 magazines, 270 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition and 478 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition.
The Army said suspects arrested in connection with the operation, alongside the recovered weapons, have been handed over to the DSS in Enugu for further investigation and possible prosecution.
It described the operation as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to curb violent activities linked to armed groups in the region, noting that the success underscored the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations and inter-agency collaboration.
The military added that Operation UDO KA would sustain offensive actions against criminal and terrorist elements threatening peace and stability in the South-East.
Ayeni urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing security operations and help restore lasting peace in the region.
