The Nigerian Police on Saturday invaded three training camps of the Eastern Security Network, ESN and arrested some yet to be identified leaders of the group.
The operation was conducted by the Imo Command’s tactical units, IRT and special forces on Saturday morning.
The Special Adviser on Media to the Imo State Police Commissioner, CSP Mike Abatam revealed the situation in a statement on Saturday.
The statement said that some of the criminal elements escaped into the forest after being overrun by the operatives during a gun duel.
According to him, some items including weapons, charms and drugs were recovered from the camp.
The three camps are located at Atta in Ikeduru, Izombie in Oguta and Ideato North local government areas of Imo State.
The statement reads in part, “Due to the superior firepower of the Police, the hoodlums were overrun by the tactical units while some of the hoodlums escaped with bullets wounds into the forest.
“Several weapons, stolen cars, explosives, gun powders, charms, lPOB/ESN flags, ammunitions, bags of Indian Hemps, tramadol tablets and many other hard drugs were recovered”.
ESN is a paramilitary organization established by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as its Commander.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
