By Our Reporter
The commander of the insurgents terrorising Imo State, parts of the South-East and South-South has been killed, police sources has said.
The leader of the insurgents popularly known as Ikonso was killed early hours of Saturday along with six of his men during a joint military operation in the area.
The joint military operation compromising of the Army, police, and Department of State Services(DSS) reportedly stormed the operational headquarters of the Insurgents in Awomama Village, Oru East Local Government Area of the state.
The insurgents are allegedly responsible for the April 5 attack on the Imo State Police Headquarters and the headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
They have allegedly carried out series of calculated, violent attacks on security personnel and formations in the South-East and South-South of the country.
As the security forces approached the base of the insurgents, they came under rapid fire from the group but in a bold and clinical response, the joint security forces fought back.
The forces eventually neutralised the overall commander and coordinator of all the militia operations of the group popularly known as Ikonso and six others.
He was said to be the mastermind and coordinator of the attack on the Imo Police Headquarters and several other attacks on security and military personnel and facilities.
The operation is part of deliberate effort by the police and other security forces to quel the activities of insurgents in Imo State and other parts of the South East and South South region of the country.
After the fierce gun battle, the security team recovered the remains of Ikonso and the six of his fighters.
Several sophisticated weapons including six AK47 rifles, hundreds of ammunition of different caliber and lots of charms including bullet proof charms were recovered from the insurgents.
At the time of filing this report, three policemen and one army officer are receiving treatment having sustained serious bullet injuries during exchange of gunfire with the insurgents.
