Troops Seize Truck with Over 164,000 Cartridges in Anambra, Arrest Suspected IPOB/ESN Arms Suppliers
Troops of Sector 5, Operation UDO KA, in collaboration with personnel from the 63 Brigade and the Department of State Services (DSS), have intercepted a truck carrying more than 164,000 live cartridges allegedly intended for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
According to intelligence sources, the operation was based on credible information and led to the arrest of Mr. Emeka Omenife along the Asaba–Onitsha expressway on May 29, 2025. Omenife was immediately handed over to the DSS for interrogation, during which he reportedly confessed to being part of a syndicate smuggling ammunition from Ghana into Nigeria for IPOB/ESN.
Following his confession, security forces apprehended an accomplice, Mr. Uchenna Obiora, at the Onitsha–Awka tollgate on May 30. Obiora was reportedly waiting to receive the delivery when arrested. His capture led to the interception of the truck carrying the hidden ammunition.
The vehicle was transported to Onitsha Cantonment, where a thorough search uncovered 164,650 live cartridges concealed in four specially constructed compartments within the truck’s cargo bed. The ammunition, believed to have been sourced from Ghana, was destined for Onitsha.
Further investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest other members of the smuggling network.
Security sources also revealed that Omenife had previously been arrested on January 22, 2025, by troops and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) tracking team at his residence in Onitsha Housing Estate. During that operation, he attempted to escape and was shot in the buttocks before being taken to the 302 Army Regiment Medical Services for treatment. He was later handed over to the Anambra State Police CID, Annex Akwuzu, for prosecution.
His re-arrest in May suggests he may have resumed his arms trafficking activities after being released under unclear circumstances.
