The Joint Security Force in Anambra State has intensified its offensive operations against criminal elements with the successful destruction of a local bomb factory and the demobilization of assorted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at a notorious criminal camp in Isseke, Ihiala Local Government Area.

The operation, which took place on Friday, May 24, 2025, involved a coordinated team comprising the Nigeria Police Force, the Military, and operatives of the Anambra State Vigilante Group. According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the target location was a fortified hideout believed to be one of the last strongholds of a secessionist group that had been operating with impunity in the area for over two years.

During the raid, the security forces dismantled a local bomb production facility and recovered several dangerous IEDs, which were safely neutralized by the explosives ordinance team. However, one of the devices, which had been buried along the perimeter of the camp, detonated during the operation, causing significant damage to a section of the road but resulting in no casualties.

“The IED was strategically planted to deter and obstruct the advance of the Joint Forces into the facility,” SP Ikenga explained. He noted that the operation marked a significant breakthrough in the ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal infrastructure and reclaim territories previously held by non-state actors.

The police spokesperson further assured residents that the security forces would continue to maintain operational dominance in the area and other flashpoints across the state.

“Our focus is to completely restore peace and ensure that these areas are free from the grip of criminals. The offensive operation continues until full security is restored,” he stated.

The raid on the Isseke camp is part of a broader strategy by the Anambra State Government and security agencies to address the lingering threat of armed groups using remote locations to launch attacks and terrorize communities.