Security
By Anthony Isibor
THE International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Intersociety, and the South-East Civil Liberties Organisation have accused the personnel of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army of carrying out a “war-grade” attack on communities in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, allegedly resulting in the burning of civilian homes, abduction of residents and widespread displacement.
In a joint investigative report released on Tuesday in Enugu, the rights groups alleged that the soldiers of the 82 Division invaded four villages in Imezi-Owa community on May 5 and 6, 2026, following what they described as the instigation of “jihadist Fulani herdsmen.”
According to the report, the affected villages included Akwuke-Umudim, Abonuzu, Eziama and Eziowa.
The groups claimed that at least 10 civilian houses located within the residential areas were razed during the operation, while several residents allegedly fled their homes for fear of arrest, disappearance or harassment.
Among those reportedly abducted was 15 to 17-year-old Chisom Okafor, whom the groups said was caring for her elderly grandmother at the time of the incident.
Three other residents identified as Ndubuisi Chikelu, Thank God Chikelu and Chidi Nosike were also alleged to have been detained during the operation.
The report further alleged that the soldiers falsely labelled the residents as collaborators or informants of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, ESN.
According to the field report cited by the organisations, the operation began after local vigilantes were allegedly invited to a meeting by the Ezeagu forest guards, disarmed by military personnel, and later compelled to guide soldiers to a suspected ESN camp located within the Ajali River Forest Valley.
The groups said that a gun battle subsequently broke out between the soldiers and the armed non-state actors in the forest area, located about 2 kilometres from the residential communities.
They added that after another confrontation on May 6, in which three soldiers were reportedly injured, the military personnel allegedly diverted from the forest area and moved into nearby communities where houses and properties were destroyed.
Intersociety also alleged that the residents accused the soldiers of looting motorcycles, electronics and domestic animals during the operation.
The rights organisations further claimed that military operations in Ezeagu were linked to longstanding tensions involving armed Fulani herdsmen allegedly operating within the forests and farmlands in the area.
They alleged that over 20 camps linked to armed herders existed across parts of Ezeagu and accused the authorities of failing to adequately address the repeated attacks, farmland destruction and insecurity reported by the residents over the years.
The report cited previous incidents, including attacks allegedly carried out in 2025 and accused security agencies of selectively targeting local communities, while ignoring the activities attributed to the armed herders.
Responding to the allegations, the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army had earlier stated that its personnel came under attack from suspected IPOB/ESN fighters during an operation in the area.
The military reportedly said that the exchange of gunfire triggered explosions from improvised explosive devices allegedly stored within a building, leading to a fire outbreak.
The army also maintained that subsequent searches led to the recovery of improvised explosive devices, hand grenades and a shrine allegedly linked to the criminal activities.
However, Intersociety rejected the explanation, insisting that the affected buildings were residential homes, some of which were reportedly under lock and key because their owners are civil servants and students, who live in Ebugu.
The organisations accused the military of deploying “false labelling, ethno-religious profiling, falsehood and concoction of stories” to justify their operation.
A.I
May 22, 2026
Tags: Ezeagu operation International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law Intersociety