Troops Destroy IED Factory in Imo, Reopen Strategic Road After Three Years
Troops conducting security operations in Imo State have reopened a major road that had been shut for more than three years and dismantled a suspected bomb-making factory during intensified clearance missions targeting criminal hideouts in the area.
The operations were carried out by troops of Operation UDO KA under the ongoing Operation Eastern Sanity, aimed at flushing out criminal elements, removing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and restoring normalcy to communities affected by violent activities in the South-East.
In a statement issued on Thursday by Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 82 Division, the Nigerian Army said the operations focused on the Orsu–Eketutu Mother Valley and Orsu–Ihiteukwa general areas of Imo State.
According to the statement, troops operating under the 34 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with personnel of the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), conducted a joint clearance mission along the Lilu–Eketutu Road on March 6, 2026.
The road, described as a strategic lifeline for surrounding communities, had been abandoned for over three years due to repeated attacks and threats by militants linked to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
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During the operation, troops discovered several IEDs planted at different locations along the road. Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists successfully disconnected and recovered the explosives, preventing potential casualties and enabling the reopening of the route.
In a related development, troops on March 11 carried out another clearance operation in the Orsu–Ihiteukwa axis, targeting suspected IED locations along key routes to improve security and facilitate the safe return of displaced residents.
The army said multiple IEDs were detonated along the troops’ route of advance during the operation. Despite the explosions, troops maintained momentum and subsequently uncovered an IED-making factory allegedly operated by IPOB/ESN elements.
Items recovered from the facility included Biafran flags and insignia, several rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, pipes used for priming explosives, pistol magazines containing ammunition, double-barrel guns, CCTV cameras, as well as multiple clips and electrical wires believed to have been used in the fabrication of explosive devices.
EOD teams also discovered additional explosives hidden within the area, which were carefully disconnected, recovered, and safely destroyed.
The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining pressure on criminal networks threatening peace and security in Imo State and across the South-East region.
It also urged members of the public to provide timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that community cooperation remains critical to dismantling criminal syndicates and restoring lasting peace in the region.
Operation UDO KA, the army added, remains committed to protecting law-abiding citizens, safeguarding lives and property, and reinforcing stability across the region.
By PRNigeria
