Orlu residents flee homes as military sacks ESN, take over forest

Residents of some communities in Orlu local government area of Imo State have fled their homes after a combined team of military, police, and Air Force personnel launched an operation aimed at dislodging the Eastern Security Network (ESN) set up by Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The operation which has been ongoing since last week, came to a head when, on Sunday, the military located the camp of the ESN operatives inside a thick forest in Udah village, in the local council.

The military were said to have taken over the forest after they chased the ESN operatives out of their camp, causing serious tension in the community.

READ ALSO: I invited soldiers to Orlu to avoid more bloodshed by IPOB —Uzodinma

It was gathered that the combined military operation was led by Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and the leader of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) from the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

A security source who confirmed the operation said:

“Abba Kyari has been in the state since. He is here on the Inspector General of Police’s order to flush out ESN from Imo State. This is the second week of his operation in the state.

“The Abba Kyari team exhausted their strength and asked for help from the military. By the time the military could mobilise and come through the air in the night, the ESN operatives had vacated the camp, which is located in a valley.

“The team, by the time they had access to the camp, couldn’t find any ESN operative. They only found a fish pond, a generator, mattresses, cooking utensils and clothes.”

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