Police operatives of the Imo state Police Command have neutralised 3 deadly terrorist kingpins associated with the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed this on Saturday
Explaining how the milestone was achieved, Adejobi said that operatives from the state Command’s tactical Unit, upon receiving credible intelligence on January 24, 2025, launched a coordinated operation aimed at locating and dislodging the terrorists’ hideouts.
Operatives located the hideout in a forest within Ihube, Okigwe LGA, and upon approach, came under heavy fire from suspected IPOB/ESN terrorists but demonstrated exceptional courage and engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle.
The operation resulted in the neutralization of 6 members of the terrorist group, with 3 being ESN kingpins identified as Ifeanyi Anayo a.k.a. Zuma De Rock (28), Chukwuemeka Odionyenfe a.k.a. Nmimi (22), and Kingsley Sunday (21)—all natives of Ogube, Ihube in Okigwe Local Government Area.
Operatives also recovered 5 AK-47 rifles, 552 rounds of live ammunition, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), several communication equipment, along with 8 operational motorcycles used by the group.
Adejobi noted that prior investigations had revealed the involvement of the group in several high-profile crimes, including the attack on the Owerri Correctional Center on April 5, 2021, the killing of five policemen in Umunna, Okigwe, on December 12, 2022, and the burning of Arondizuogu Police Station on February 8, 2022.
The group was also involved in multiple kidnappings, including those of WAEC staff on June 5, 2023, four reverend sisters on August 21, 2022, and four Chinese nationals on December 6, 2023.
While the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has commended the gallant operatives for their exceptional display of bravery and coordination, he has further charged police operatives across commands and formations to sustain the tempo and implement the Force’s action plan aimed at reducing crimes drastically in the first quarter of the year 2025.
