Soldiers from the 14th Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Ohafia, cleared the path of the Umuchima pipeline into an Abia State forest on February 8, 2026, according to the army.
The Army reported the discovery of two IEDs made locally out of 5 kg of gas, nails, water-gel explosives, two detonators and electrical connections.
Captain Mazinho Attah, acting as the assistant director of army public relations for 14 Brigade, announced the news in a press statement.
Army officials justified the clearance operations by saying they were part of a larger effort to crack down on the “criminal activities” of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who are on the blacklist.
It detailed how, at approximately 9:00 in the morning on February 8, 2026, Brigade soldiers found the two IEDs while conducting clearance operations along the Umuchima pipeline route that led into the forest.
According to the Army, they were able to clear a criminal element’s camp and discover four empty cartridge cases and two bags of nails during their exploration of the region.
The suspect, who has previously admitted to being an expert in the field, is currently under investigation, and the success followed credible intelligence that he gave.
The professionalism, endurance, and doggedness displayed by the troops were praised by Brigade Commander, Brigadier General A.M. Dikko.
The Nigerian Army announced that they are currently engaged in further exploitation of the Umuchima Forest.
The statement went on to say that the overall security situation in the Brigade’s ARC was quiet but unpredictable, with troops keeping a high level of alertness.