Operation UDO KA Challenges IPOB Claims, Opens Imo Operation Sites for Media Verification
The Nigerian Army has invited media organisations and civil society groups to participate in a verification tour of operational areas in Orsu–Eketutu Mother Valley and Orsu–Ihiteukwa in Imo State following claims circulating on social media that recently released images of recovered explosives were manipulated.
In a statement issued by the Headquarters of Operation UDO KA and the 82 Division Nigerian Army, the military said the allegations were part of propaganda linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
According to the Army, the images showing recovered Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were taken during ongoing clearance operations under Operation Eastern Sanity, which are being conducted simultaneously in Imo and Anambra states. Military authorities explained that the geolocation details on the released images were deliberately blurred for operational security reasons.
The Army further stated that troops have dismantled several camps, hideouts and suspected IED-making facilities linked to IPOB/ESN within the Mother Valley axis spanning the two states.
The military also accused certain social media accounts of manipulating metadata from the images to falsely suggest that the recoveries occurred in Lagos and Oyo states.
To address the controversy, the Army has invited journalists, media executives and civil society representatives interested in verifying the claims to arrange an inspection tour through the Public Relations office of the 82 Division.
The Nigerian Army reaffirmed that it remains a professional and apolitical institution serving all Nigerians regardless of ethnic background. It also urged the public to verify information from official channels before sharing it online and to prioritise national unity over divisive narratives.
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