Police Raid ESN Camp, Kill Five Fighters

Five suspected members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) were shot dead when police operatives raided their camp at Izombe in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.

About three police officers also sustained gunshot wounds in the gun duel that lasted for several hours.

The incident happened on Thursday around 4.30 pm.

The Commissioner of Police Mohammed Barde, who confirmed the incident, explained houses belonging to persons the hoodlums suspected to be informants to security agencies were also burnt down.

He said that when the hoodlums realised that they had suffered heavy defeat, they burnt houses belonging to serving and retired police officers and other security agencies in villages.

“The hoodlums who on sighting the police operatives engaged them in a gun battle but were overwhelmed by the superior fire power of the gallant police operatives who positioned themselves professionally.

“The operatives after dislodging the hoodlums moved in and conducted a thorough search of the camp where the following items were: three English made Pump Action Guns, 118 GPMG ammunitions, 41 AK 47 live ammunition, 19 G3 ammunitions, one cut to size locally made double barrel, one locally made double barrel, four locally made pistols.

"Others are: Four locally made explosive devices, military uniforms, police uniforms, Biafra flags, four ESN caps, one pair of Police boot, various types of hard drugs, some police accoutrements, four live tortoise, large quantities of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, and pieces of red cloths were recovered to the station.”