Troops operating under Exercise GOLDEN DAWN III successfully raided camps affiliated with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in the Orsumoghu general area of Anambra. This operation, conducted in collaboration with personnel from the Nigerian Navy, the Nigeria Police, and local vigilante groups, resulted in the neutralization of an armed ESN member and the recovery of a pump-action rifle.

According to Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, the acting Deputy Director of the 82 Division Army Public Relations, the raid was executed on the strength of timely and credible intelligence regarding the activities of these dissident and outlawed groups. He disclosed that during the operation, the troops cleared and destroyed the IPOB/ESN camps, with one terrorist being neutralized and others fleeing with gunshot wounds. Additionally, one pump-action rifle was retrieved.

In a separate encounter on December 9, troops engaged members of the irredentist group during a patrol along the Orsumoghu-Ukpor Road in Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra. Due to their superior firepower, the criminals were compelled to abandon their location, leaving behind a cache of ammunition, hand grenades, handheld radios, police uniform, a fragmental jacket, and charms.

Lt.-Col. Unuakhalu reiterated that Exercise GOLDEN DAWN III was recently launched in the South-East to reinforce the security framework of the region, particularly during and after the festive season. Maj.-Gen. Hassan Dada, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division Nigerian Army, urged the public to provide credible information to the Nigerian Army and other security agencies via the Emergency Telephone Line ‘193’ to bolster the fight against terrorism and other criminal activities. He also reassured citizens, encouraging them to resume their daily activities without fear of intimidation.