The operation was conducted together with the police, civil defence, and the Department of State Services (DSS) personnel.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, who disclosed in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the operation was held on March 7.
According to him, the troops destroyed about 50 tents, the terrorists’ Supreme Headquarters, Command and Control Centre, and their Military Council Headquarters.
Other structures destroyed include the terrorists’ residences, offices, logistic bases, temples, and shrines.
The camp, he said, has been well concealed with foliage that afforded the criminals cover from air surveillance, adding that the camp had sufficient power supply, and several farms and livestock to sustain the terrorists.
“During the operations, troops also encountered several command IEDs and ditches along the axis to the camp.
“All were detonated, and ditches covered with excavators before reaching the camp.
“The location is identified to be the supreme headquarters, command, and control centre as well as the Military Council Headquarters of IPOB/ESN.
“Following a firefight, troops neutralised 20 terrorists and recovered several quantities of assorted weapons such as G3 rifles, AK47 rifles, auto pump action guns, double barrel guns, locally made pistols, and RPG bombs,” he said.
The Defence spokesman said the troops also recovered 226 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 216 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 172 live cartridges, four AK47 magazines, and three G3 magazines.
Others are several quantities of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Point of Sales (POS) devices, baofeng radios, mobile phones, CCTV cameras, inverters and batteries, and Biafra flags, among others.
Buba said the shrine at the camp was littered with shallow graves indicative of ritual killings.
“The ritual killings at the camp account for the several cases of missing persons in the region. The recovered items are being processed and analyzed for their intelligence value.
“Nevertheless, troops are sustaining the momentum and going in pursuit of the terrorist and their cohorts, dislodging them from their enclaves,” he added.
