Nigerian Army troops arrest notorious ESN commander Gentle de Yahoo at his Okigwe hideout

NIGERIAN Army troops have arrested a notorious commander of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) identified as Ifeanyi Okorienta popularly known as Gentle de Yahoo.

In a joint military operation with sister security agencies, Mr Okorienta was captured at his hideout at Aku-Ihube, in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State by troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade. This raid led to the recovery of a cache of arms and other items, including one English pistol, 120 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 25 rounds of 7.62mm bullets, six mobile phones, military and police uniforms and as a German flag.

Also, Nigerian Army commanders said they uncovered a workshop used for dismantling stolen vehicles and they destroyed 10 motorcycles found at the scene. Military intelligence reports suggest Gentle de Yahoo was responsible for organising enforcement squads that carried out violent attacks whenever residents defied sit-at-home orders in parts of Anambra and Imo states.

He was also accused of being responsible for the series of kidnappings and mindless killings across the southeast geo-political zone, including the killing and beheading of a couple serving in the Nigerian military when they travelled to Imo state for their wedding. Ohanaeze Ndigbo has urged other fighters to lay down their arms as their days of terror were over.

Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the deputy president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Chief Chinemeze Ohia, their national spokesman, issued a joint statement in which they lauded the federal government for apprehending Gentle De Yahoo. They described Gentle De Yahoo as the self-proclaimed leader of the Auto Pilot Militia and the so-called Biafran Army.

Their statement read: “We commend the exemplary preparedness and unwavering commitment demonstrated by the federal government, through the esteemed office of the national security adviser, the honourable minister of state for defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, and the distinguished chief of defence staff, General Christopher Musa, for their decisive action to bring an end to the pervasive suffering and crippling insecurity that has plagued our beloved southeast region. This affliction has been directly attributable to the violent extremism and criminal acts perpetrated by various armed Biafran groups, ostensibly fighting for self-determination but in reality, inflicting untold hardship on the Igbo people.

“These groups, spearheaded by the detained Simon Ekpa and his Auto Pilots have been instrumental in the unlawful enforcement of the destructive Monday sit-at-home order, effectively crippling the southeast’s economy, driving away vital local and foreign investment and creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. For the past four years, the notorious Auto Pilot Militia, under the ruthless leadership of individuals like Gentle De Yahoo, has unleashed a reign of terror across the southeast.

“They are directly responsible for the systematic displacement of thousands from their ancestral homes, the destruction of businesses and farmlands and the senseless slaughter of innocent civilians. Ohanaeze Ndigbo, compelled by the gravity of the situation, must unequivocally convey this harsh reality to the remnants of the Auto Pilots and all other criminal elements operating under the guise of freedom fighters and Biafra agitators - lay down your arms immediately."

According to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the  arrest of Gentle de Yahoo, will be widely celebrated across Imo State, especially in Okigwe. They added that they now  anticipate the return of displaced villagers, the revitalisation of the Okigwe environment and the complete cessation of terrorist activities in the affected boundary communities of Anambra State, all of which were devastated by Gentle De Yahoo’s reign of terror and destruction.