- ‘Operation against IPoB-ESN improved security at Yuletide in South East’
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), in a major operation on Monday, neutralized many bandits terrorizing and looting shops in Rafi Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State.
The DSS operatives seized a cache of weapons and motorcycles from the bandits in the operation.
This is the second major offensive by the DSS against the bandits in the area in less than a week, as three bandits were neutralized last Friday in Dogon Dawa, Mariga LGA of the state.
Three weeks ago, in the Janyau Fulani area in Gusau, Gusau-Kaura Namoda road, in Zamfara State, as well as in Dalori quarters, Maiduguri, Borno State, DSS operatives apprehended notorious bandits terrorizing parts of the North East and North West.
A credible security source said the bandits in Niger State, who had recently attacked Uregi village in Rafi LGA, gathered for a meeting when DSS operatives, who had kept them under surveillance, launched the attack.
“Three DSS operatives were injured during the attack, but are responding to medical treatment,” the source said.
The security source said the mproved security witnessed at Yuletide was due to several covert operations by the DSS, especially in the South East.
The source, who is an officer in a different security organization, commended the new DSS leadership for the “increased synergy”, saying prompt intelligence sharing with the military and other security agencies has helped to improve the security situation across the country.
“For instance, before Christmas, the DSS identified several IPOB (Indigeneous People of Biafra) and their ESN (Eastern Security Network) camps in several parts of the southeast states.
“Collaborating with the DSS, we surgically dealt with IPOB and ESN leaders who were terrorizing residents of the South East. With the DSS, we were able to clear IPOB/ESN strongholds in Orsu, Oru East, Oru West and Orlu LGA in Imo State where several AK47 weapons and IED making materials and shrines were destroyed.
“In Enugu, the DSS led the operation to clear the Imilike Agu forest in Udenu LGA where several weapons of different calibres were destroyed, and a large number of IPOB /ESN commanders neutralized.
“Several of such operations also took place in Abia, Anambra and Ebonyi States, ” added the source, stressing, “that was why people in the southeast were, for the first time in several years, able to celebrate Yuletide in peace.”
