Six suspected members of an armed secessionist group have been killed during a joint security operation in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The operation, conducted on Saturday, also resulted in the death of a security operative after an explosive device reportedly detonated during a gun battle.
The Anambra State Police Command spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the operation was part of ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks and violent non-state actors operating in the state.
According to Ikenga, the operation was carried out by a joint team comprising personnel of the Nigeria Police Force Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu; Department of State Services; 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha; Nigerian Navy personnel from Ogbaru; and community-based Agunachamba operatives.
He said the team, acting on credible intelligence, trekked for about four hours through difficult terrain and dense palm forests before reaching a suspected criminal camp in an interior part of the local government area.
Ikenga said the suspects opened fire when they sighted the security personnel, triggering a prolonged exchange of gunfire.
“At the end of the encounter, six suspected members of the armed group were neutralised, while others fled the area, with some reportedly sustaining gunshot injuries,” he said.
The operatives, he added, recovered two pump-action guns and charms from the camp, while structures believed to be associated with the group were subsequently dismantled.
The operation also recorded casualties on the side of the security forces, as one operative was killed and another injured when an explosive device suspected to have been planted in the area detonated.
The injured operative is currently receiving medical attention in a hospital, according to the police.
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The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Nnanna Oji, commended the personnel involved in the operation for their courage and professionalism despite the difficult terrain and hostile environment.
Oji also stressed the importance of intelligence sharing, inter-agency collaboration and community support in tackling violent criminal groups and disrupting their operational bases.
He condoled with the family and colleagues of the slain operative and wished the injured personnel a speedy recovery.
The police commissioner assured residents that security agencies would continue to conduct intelligence-led operations across the state to dismantle criminal camps, recover illegal weapons and prevent violent groups from establishing bases in Anambra.
The command also urged residents to remain vigilant and provide security agencies with timely and credible information to support efforts to maintain peace and security across the state.