At there depth of the Ajali Forests in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, sustained military action for over a month has totally flushed out kidnappers, terrorists and herdsmen who have been wrecking havoc on the communities and travellers along Enugu-Onitsha expressway.
Felled trees, freshly carved tracks and deserted camps now dot what security officials describe as a former stronghold of armed groups operating around the Enugu–Anambra states.
Defence correspondents, were taken on a guided tour of parts of the forest, and observed first-hand the massive scale of operations by troops of the Nigerian Army aimed at flushing out suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), including Fulani herdsmen.
Speaking at the operation site, the Commanding Officer of the 103 Battalion (Rear), Major Abdulrahman Buhari, said the clearance became imperative after credible intelligence revealed that criminal elements had converted the forest into a staging ground for attacks, kidnappings and cross-border movements between Enugu and neighbouring Anambra State.
“Ajali forest serves as a natural link between Enugu and Anambra states, and these criminals took advantage of the difficult terrain to establish a safe haven,” Buhari said.
He explained that Ezeagu falls under Sector 1 of Operation UDO KA, which has responsibility for security across the 17 Local Government Areas of Enugu State.
According to him, the operation, which commenced on December 30, 2025, remains on-going, with troops steadily advancing deeper into the forest to dismantle camps and restrict the mobility of armed groups.
He disclosed that no fewer than eight IPOB/ESN camps had so far been located, cleared and destroyed.
Journalists were shown several cleared corridors where soldiers deployed bulldozers and chainsaws to open up access routes, a deliberate tactic designed to prevent the forest from being reclaimed as a hideout.
Troops also neutralised explosive devices planted along paths within the forest, a move aimed at safeguarding civilians and security personnel.
Major Buhari further revealed that items recovered during the operation included 197 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, five motorcycles allegedly used by the armed groups, as well as materials for the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The Ajali Forest clearance, Buhari noted, is part of a wider security push by the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army across the South-East and parts of Cross River State, as troops intensify efforts to deny criminal elements any foothold in the region.
Residents of Eke, Akama-Oghe, Awha-Ndiagu, Imezi-Owa, Aguobu-Owa, Umana-Ndiuno and Umana-Ndiagu, recounted how Military helicopters hovered the entire Ajalli area and environs carrying out surveillance operations, since early in the month of December, 2025, up to the moment.
They further advised the Military to extend the operation to the Ajalli and Ozom Rivers forests bothering Ugwuoba, Obunofia-Ndiuno, Obunofia-Ndiagu, Umumba-Ndiagu, Agba-Umana and Ebenebe in Anambra State, where they stated, these criminals have relocated to.
They recalled a failed operation shortly before Christmas by a joint security operation at Aji-Agu Forest between Ebenebe and Obunofia-Ndiagu, during which two local vigilante personnel were arrested on a mistaken identity of belonging to ESN.
They noted that “since these boys relocated to the forests, there has not been peace in our communities. They extort, harass, take people to native oath, do all kind of things and bring kidnapped victims to our communities, thereby exposing our community to danger”.
