Nigerian security forces have uncovered a weapons cache linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, hidden inside a zinc structure disguised as a piggery in Enugu State.
Troops of the 82 Division Garrison, operating under Sector 1 of Operation UDO KA, carried out the raid Monday in Gariki, Enugu South Local Government Area, acting on intelligence gathered from previously arrested IPOB and ESN suspects. The Department of State Services, Enugu State Command, participated in the joint operation.
Recovered items include General Purpose Machine Guns, an RPG-7 launcher tube, AK-47 rifles, hand grenades, a tear gas gun with cartridges, AK-47 magazines, 270 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, and 478 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition.
The military described the find as a significant operational success under Operation EASTERN SANITY II, its ongoing effort to consolidate peace in Nigeria's South East region.
"This intelligence-driven operation underscores the effective interagency collaboration in the region, resulting in proactive measures to counter threats to national unity and public safety," the army said in a statement signed by Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Ayeni.
All recovered weapons and arrested suspects have been handed over to the DSS Enugu State Command for further investigation and prosecution.
The army said the operation reflects Operation UDO KA's commitment to sustained offensive action against criminal and terrorist networks undermining peace in the region, and called on the public to continue providing credible information to security forces.
IPOB, designated a terrorist organization by the Nigerian government in 2021, and its armed wing the ESN have been linked to attacks on security personnel and government facilities across the South East in recent years.
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