Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has commended the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Police Force for their sustained efforts in combating insecurity and safeguarding lives and property across the country, particularly in the South-East.
The governor gave the commendation on Friday after visiting the Enugu State headquarters of the DSS, where he inspected a cache of arms and ammunition recovered from suspected commanders of the outlawed Eastern Security Network (ESN) during a recent security operation in the state.
The weapons were recovered on Tuesday when DSS operatives, supported by troops of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, raided a suspected ESN armoury following intelligence-driven operations.
Among the items displayed during the inspection were a rocket launcher, two rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) warheads, three RPG chargers, 11 AK-47 rifles, more than 610 rounds of 7.62x39mm NATO ammunition, as well as National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) uniforms and lanyards.
Governor Mbah, who was accompanied by the Garrison Commander of the 82 Division, Brig.-Gen. Abubakar Suru, the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Bitrus Giwa, and other senior government officials, praised the professionalism and collaboration among the various security agencies.
He said the successful operation underscored the effectiveness of intelligence gathering and inter-agency cooperation in preventing criminal elements from carrying out attacks capable of destabilising the region.
According to the governor, the recovered arms and ammunition could have been deployed by the ESN to unleash violence across the South-East and create the false impression that insecurity had overwhelmed the region.
Mbah urged Nigerians, regardless of political, ethnic or religious affiliations, to support ongoing efforts by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to address the country’s security challenges.
He specifically commended President Tinubu for providing support to state governments and security agencies in the fight against insecurity, noting that such backing had contributed significantly to recent operational successes recorded across the country.
Security sources disclosed that the raid followed intelligence obtained from arrested ESN members, indicating that the group was allegedly planning coordinated attacks in Enugu and other South-East states aimed at creating panic and portraying the region as being under siege by armed groups.
The recovery in Enugu came barely two days before the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced five members of a notorious bandit network to 25 years imprisonment each for aiding the November 21, 2025 attack and abduction of students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State.
The convicts were reportedly arrested by DSS operatives during separate intelligence-led operations conducted last week.
