Troops of Operation UDO KA have reopened a strategic road in Imo State that had been shut for over three years and destroyed a suspected bomb-making factory during sustained joint clearance operations under Operation EASTERN SANITY.
The Nigerian Army said the operations were part of ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal enclaves, clear improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and restore normalcy in troubled communities across the Orsu–Eketutu Mother Valley and Orsu–Ihiteukwa general areas.
According to the Army, troops operating under the 34 Artillery Brigade 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) carried out a joint clearance operation along the Lilu–Eketutu Road on March 6, 2026.
The road, described as a strategic lifeline for surrounding communities, had been abandoned for more than three years due to repeated threats and attacks by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
During the operation, troops discovered several IEDs planted at different points along the route. The explosives were successfully disconnected and safely recovered by Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists, thereby averting possible casualties and restoring access to the road.
In a related development, troops on March 11, 2026 conducted another clearance operation in the Orsu–Ihiteukwa general area, targeting suspected IED locations along critical routes to improve security and facilitate the safe return of displaced residents.
The Army disclosed that several IEDs detonated along the troops’ route of advance during the operation. Despite the explosions, the troops maintained momentum and subsequently uncovered a suspected IPOB/ESN IED-making factory hidden within the area.
Items recovered from the facility included Biafran flags and insignia, several rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, pipes used for priming IEDs, pistol magazines loaded with 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.
The Army added that EOD teams later discovered more concealed IEDs within the vicinity, which were carefully disconnected, recovered, and safely destroyed.
Reaffirming its resolve, the Nigerian Army said it remains committed to sustaining pressure on criminal networks threatening peace and security across Imo State and the wider South-East region.
It also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible intelligence to security agencies, stressing that community cooperation remains critical to dismantling criminal syndicates and restoring lasting peace.
