The Anambra State Police Command has dismantled a local bomb-making factory reportedly operated by a secessionist group in Isseke, Ihiala Local Government Area, recovering several improvised explosive devices, IEDs, from the site.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga disclosed that the operation was described as part of a sustained joint security campaign to rid the state of criminal strongholds used by separatist agitators over the past two years.
According to Ikenga, one of the IEDs buried around the facility detonated during the raid, damaging a nearby road but causing no casualties. The explosive was believed to have been planted as a booby trap to deter security operatives from accessing the camp.
“The IED acted as a shield to prevent the joint forces from accessing the facility. No life was lost during the operation,” Ikenga confirmed.
The police described the factory as one of the last remaining operational bases of the separatist militants in Anambra, often linked to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed affiliate, the Eastern Security Network. Though the group was not named in the statement, past raids in the region have often targeted their hideouts.
Security analysts say the use of IEDs marks a worrying evolution in tactics by separatist elements in the South-East, posing increased risks to both law enforcement and civilians.
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“The area had been under the control of criminal elements who used it to launch attacks, enforce illegal sit-at-home orders, and instill fear among residents,” a senior security source told TheCable under anonymity.
In recent months, Ihiala and neighbouring areas in the South-East have seen multiple attacks on public infrastructure, police stations, and election offices, often attributed to separatist groups agitating for Biafra.
The police assured that intelligence-led operations will continue in the area, with joint forces maintaining dominant security presence to prevent resurgence.
“We are committed to reclaiming every inch of our communities from criminal occupation. This success is a clear signal that no hideout is beyond reach,” Ikenga added.
No arrests have been officially confirmed, but investigations are ongoing to track down the masterminds behind the camp and their network of collaborators.
This development comes amid renewed calls for peacebuilding and dialogue in the South-East as a strategy to end insecurity and separatist violence.
Crediblenewsng.com
