Security forces arrest 22 year old female said to be one of ESN's leading assassins

SECURITY forces have arrested a 22 year old lady identified as Amaka Onah in the forests of Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State who they believe is a notorious Eastern Security Network (ESN) assassin.

Created as the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob's) armed wing the ESN has taken on the responsibility of confronting armed Fulani herdsmen across the southeast geo-political zone. Of late, however, the ESN has been accused of acts of bringandry, including raiding police stations and carting away weapons and of carrying out murders across the southeast.

However, Ipob  has vehemently denied this, saying the general public should understand that those behind the orgy of kidnapping and barbaric killings have no link whatsoever with ESN. It alleges that the genocide is planned by conspirators to unleash mayhem on Igbo people in their desperation to demonise ESN personnel and Ipob volunteers.

Over the weekend a joint task force of security forces arrested Amaka, who they claim was one of the masterminds behind the ESN killings. According to the police, she confessed to killing five people, including one Igwe Baniko whose filling station was burnt down by ESN operatives.

Amaka is said to have further stated that one Duri who is currently at large was the mastermind behind the operation. She then led security forces to places where some of their victims were buried in shallow graves in the forest.

In December 2020 Ipob leader Nnamdi Kanu, described ESN as a replica of the Western Nigeria Security Network, also known as Amotekun, launched by state governors across southwest Nigeria to curb insecurity in the region. However, ESN has failed to attract the support of the southeast governors.

"The sole aim and objective of this newly formed security outfit known as Eastern Security Network is to halt every criminal activity and the terrorist attack on Biafraland.  This outfit, which is a vigilante group like the Amotekun in the southwest and the Miyetti Allah security outfit, will ensure the safety of our forests and farmland, which terrorists have converted into slaughter grounds and raping fields," Mr Kanu said at the time.