A combined troop of the Joint Task Force (JTF) South East, Operation UDO KA (OPUK), has stormed and destroyed a notorious stronghold of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in Anambra State.
The operation, carried out on Thursday, February 26, 2026, targeted the “Mother Valley” in Nkwere, a forested enclave long used as a command center for criminal elements in the region.
According to a statement by the Nigerian Army on X, troops advanced through difficult terrain for over three hours to penetrate the insurgents’ defensive positions.
“The combined troops demonstrated exceptional courage, discipline, and professionalism to penetrate and dominate the valley despite fierce resistance,” the statement read.
During the engagement, the insurgents reportedly deployed locally made improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and heavy gunfire in a bid to halt the military advance. However, the JTF comprising the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps overpowered the hostile elements.
The Army confirmed that one IPOB member was neutralized during the shootout, while several others fled with gunshot injuries. Troops recovered a significant cache of weapons, including two pump-action guns, a locally fabricated firearm, a tear gas gun, seven gas cylinders used for IEDs, and various extremist flags.
To cripple the group’s operational capacity, the military destroyed all life-support structures in the valley, including solar panels and a Mikano generator used at the insurgents’ command center.
In a related operation, an ambush team arrested two suspected IPOB members, one while attempting to plant an IED and the other identified as a spy monitoring troop movements. Troops also seized a KIA saloon and a black Toyota Sequoia from a car park within the valley.
“This decisive operation sends a clear and unmistakable warning to all criminal elements: there will be no hiding place, no sanctuary, and no escape,” the Army stated.
The suspects are currently in custody for profiling and investigation, while clearance operations continue to ensure total control of the area.
