The Nigerian Army has recovered arms from a camp belonging to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and its affiliate, the Eastern Security Network.

This is according to a statement released by the Director of Army Public Relations Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu on Tuesday.

The arms according to Onyema were recovered during an operation conducted by troops of the 302 Artillery and 14 Field Engineer Regiments on Monday, October 16.

“Combined troops of 302 Artillery and 14 Field Engineer Regiments of the Nigerian Army, conducting operations against terrorists, have on Monday 16 October 2023 captured two locally made Artillery Projectile Launchers from fighters of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN),” the Army statement read.

“The artillery weapons, armed with projectiles were seized alongside other items, as troops swooped on the dissident fighters, who fled in disarray, deserting their camp on sighting troops’ advancement.

“In the operation, one combatant of the dissident group was arrested and several items, including 48 rounds of 7.62 mm NATO ammunition, 4 mobile phones, one handheld communication radio, and a substance suspected to be cannabis, among others, were recovered by the troops,” he said.

In another operation on the same day, troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade uncovered and destroyed an illegal refining site, operating with several drums and crude oil ovens, laden with stolen crude oil, a dug out pit containing about 50,000 litres of crude oil and 57 sacks of illegally refined automation gas oil.