Troops of the 14 Brigade Nigerian Army, Ohafia, have neutralised alleged members of the self-acclaimed Biafran National Guard at Igboro forest, a boundary between the Ohafia and Arochukwu communities in Abia.

The brigade’s public relations officer, Lt. Innocent Omale, disclosed this in a statement in Umuahia on Tuesday.

Mr Omale said the troops made a breakthrough in the operation while acting on a credible, timely and reliable tip-off.

He stated that the Biafran guard, an affiliate of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, “bowed to the troops’ superior and heavy firepower during the gun battle that lasted for minutes in the early hours of the day”.

“Three of the guard members were neutralised, while an unconfirmed number escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds,” he added.

Mr Omale also stated that the troops recovered a locally-constructed improvised multi-barrel rocket launcher with sixteen barrels mounted on a vehicle and one locally-constructed twelve-barrel launcher.

Also recovered were one locally-constructed four-barrel launcher with a tripod, six locally-constructed rocket launchers, one AK 47 rifle, one locally-made den gun and four locally-made Improvised Explosive Devices.

Others included one Baofeng radio, two machetes, one jack knife, five fragmental jackets, military uniforms and boots, one vehicle jack, an Android phone, and assorted charms.

The brigade urged well-meaning residents of the state to cooperate with the security agencies by giving them credible, reliable and timely information that could help in averting the efforts of persons disrupting national peace.

(NAN)