DSS, Army Raid ESN Armoury in Enugu, Seize Rocket Launcher and Rifles

The Department of State Services and Nigerian Army conducted a raid on an Eastern Security Network facility in the Agbani area of Enugu State this week, recovering a substantial weapons cache and apprehending suspects linked to the outlawed group. The operation was initiated after intelligence indicated ESN members were preparing coordinated attacks across the Southeast region, according to security sources.

The raid yielded high-caliber firearms and ammunition. Multiple sources reported the recovery of AK-47 and AK-103 rifles, with one account mentioning a rocket launcher and machine gun among the seized materials. The exact inventory figures vary across reports, with one source citing 15 AK-103 rifles and over 1,400 rounds of ammunition, while another referenced eight AK-47 rifles with 323 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and smoke grenades.

Security forces arrested between two and five suspects during the operation, identified as ESN field commanders and armed couriers. Intelligence revealed the group had plotted to target students taking the West African Examinations Council examination across schools in Enugu, Anambra, and Imo states, and had planned to conduct attacks while impersonating National Youth Service Corps members. One separate arrest in Niger State in November linked armed couriers to kidnappings at a Catholic school.

The raid occurred as security operations have intensified across the Southeast following a recent decision to suspend weekly sit-at-home orders associated with Indigenous People of Biafra activity. The operation was launched following earlier intelligence gathering by DSS personnel working with military units from the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army.