By Martin Odiete
Many outside the Easter part of the country may not be too acquainted with the news that the Sit-At-Home order initiated by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and their Eastern Security Network, ESN counterpart is no longer as effective as it use to be thanks to the efforts of the activities of the joint take force popularly know as ‘Operation Udoka’ of the Nigeria military.
Troops of Operation Udoka
On how they were able to achieve this feet, the General Officer Commander of the Operation, GOC in the South East, Major General Hassan Taiwo Dada who spoke with a section of the defence correspondent who were on tour of the region to have first hand knowledge of the activities of ‘Operation Udoka’ meticulously outlined how they were able to pull through getting residents to defy the Sit-At-Home order, and come out for their businesses on Monday.
Major General Taiwo Dada stated “The truth remains that it was all about criminalities. I will enjoin you to look at the losses being incurred every Monday. An average Igbo man wants to go to shop, sell his products to make money to take care of his family, you are now saying he should not go out. I mean, who is losing?
So, when we came on board we tried to have this engagement with the opinion leaders and a good number of the state Government were able to make that pronouncement and immediately the joint taskforce of the zone was able to provide that secured environment for anybody to go and do whatever he wants any day, anytime and that is how we have been able to achieve this. Consistency, meticulously planning and demonstration of will, and having the buying of the opinion molders, and having the buying of the political leaders that’s why we were where we are today. People have come to the realization that these people are just criminals,” Major General Taiwo Dada stated.
Also speaking to the media, the Garrison commanders FOB Orlu, Lt Col E M Akale expressed happiness that their efforts is paying off as the locals especially at Orlu town have started returning to their houses and business activities have fully returned. He narrated how Orlu was once a strong hold of the bandits narrating further how they really had to engage the bandits in serious fight before they were able to recapture the places. He however regrets that with their efforts some of the communities were still deserted.
Garrison commanders FOB Orlu, Lt Col E M Akale
“Before now they were not coming out at all on Mondays. By the time we are going further to the other FOBs you will see how deserted the whole community is. Even after our last operations to the mother Valley that we conducted, it took us time and effort to try to convince them, try to convince the local to come out, let them come and take back their communities but even as we speak there is nothing happening.
So much have been done. The last operation we conducted was at Mba-Itolu, that’s B43 camp where we were able to exume some corpses after we captured the camp. We were able to exume some corpses because we saw that they were freshly dug shallow graves,” he said.
For his part, Col Muhammed Bello Abubakar who is the Commander Sector 5 of Operation Udoka told the media crew how they have to fight and are still fighting to remain where they are currently domiciled.
Col Muhammed Bello Abubakar who is the Commander Sector 5 of Operation Udoka
“Where we are here is Osumogu, where in 2022 was known as a very notorious as regard the activities of the Eastern Security Network ESN, and Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB a terrorists group. We came here not just strolling in but we fought our ways to come here and we are still fighting to remain here, we fight day and night. We attack them, they also bring some attacks which are normally neutralized.
Why is this place so important to them? It may interest you to know that this place called Osumogu, not too far from where they call Mother Valley it’s just part of the camp. They have been in this place since 2017, it has been like a fortress where they have become fully established. So because of that they do everything possible to ensure that they are not dislodged from this location. So that is why the fight is on. And this location gives them an easy access to the express way that is the Onitsha Owerri express way where they conduct their nefarious activities like kidnapping and others like that. And when they kidnap they normally bring them into this area through this place. So establishing any location here means denying them that aspect of their criminal activities.
Now, even the locals have now realize that, as before these people pose like protector to them. They claim to be protecting them but with time they have now understood that these people are just pure criminals in kidnapping activities and all the social vices is what they do here. So, with they they have understood that they do not have any of their interest the South East of have any interest of any average Nigerian and even humanity. They do all heinous crime here just to instill fear in the minds of the locals,” he said.
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