Police Raid IPOB/ESN Enclave, Seize Weapons in Imo

On April 23, 2026, the Nigeria Police Force conducted a raid on an IPOB/ESN enclave located in Nguru Aboh Mbais Local Government Area, Imo State. This operation was described as a major breakthrough in the nationwide campaign against violent extremist organizations.

The police recovered a cache of weapons, including two general-purpose machine guns (GPMG), 115 rounds of GPMG ammunition, an AK-47 assault rifle, a pump-action shotgun, several surveillance drones, and Biafran currency of different denominations. The operation was driven by intelligence obtained from a confession made by a high-ranking IPOB/ESN commander, Ebub Uchenna Mmaduakolam, also known as Ebub Viru.

Three suspects were arrested during the raid and are currently in police custody, assisting with investigations. The Inspector General of Police commended the Imo State Command for their courageous and professional execution of the operation, which significantly weakens the operational capacity of the IPOB/ESN network in the southeastern region of Nigeria.