Joint Security Forces kill IPOB leader.

 A yet-to-be identified second lieutenant and three Police IRT operatives paid the ultimate price in the fire fight between Nigerian security forces and Ikonso Commander and militants of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The Nigerian military disclosed this Saturday in a statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima.

He said the four killed officers have been evacuated to a military facility in Owerri.

Ikonson Commander, the alleged IPOB militant and six of his top commanders were killed in the shooting.

Ikonson (also spelled Ikonso) was accused for being the mastermind of multiple attacks on police stations in the South east and South- South regions.

Yerima also said three AK 47 rifles were recovered in the fight with the IPOB militants in Awomama Village, Oru East Local Government Area of Imo.

The army described the IPOB base as “the operational headquarters of terrorists”.

The full statement by Yerima:

SECURITY FORCES BUST IPOB/ESN OPERATIONAL HQ, NEUTRALISE IPOB’S NO2 MAN

A combined team of security forces led by troops of the Nigerian Army have raided the operational Headquarters of the IPOB/ESN terrorists in Awomama Village, Oru East LGA of Imo State.

The early morning raid by troops of Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) was launched in the early hours of Saturday 24 April, 2021, following a detailed intelligence report on the location of the terrorists’ Operational Headquarters and the movement of the overall Commander popularly known as Ikonson Commander.

The IRT and DSS teams along with troops of 82 Division of the Nigerian Army have been on the trail of the terror group since the unfortunate attacks on the Imo State Police Command and the Owerri Correctional Center on 5 April 2021.

The said Ikonson Commander who was the mastermind of those attacks in addition to multiple attacks in the South East and South South regions, was neutralised along with 6 of his top Commanders.

The joint intelligence team had earlier interviewed several arrested IPOB/ESN terrorists in connection with the April 5 attacks and they all confessed that Ikonson Commander who was named as Vice President by their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was the one that mobilized men and resources as well as ordered and orchestrated the attacks on Owerri.

They equally revealed that Ikonson was responsible for many other attacks on Police stations across the two geo-political zones.

The intelligence team later tracked the IPOB/ESN top leader to his exact location in Awomama village where he (Ikonson) and his top Commanders were hibernating and plotting dastardly acts against the Nigerian state.

On noticing the presence of the joint operations team, IPOB/ESN terrorists brought heavy volume of fire on the raiding team who swiftly responded and overwhelmed them with superior fire power that neutralised Ikonson and six of his top Commanders.