The Nigerian Army has confirmed the arrest of a notorious commander of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta, popularly known as Gentle de Yahoo.
According to a credible source at Army Headquarters, the suspect was captured by troops of Operation UDO KA during a raid in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State on Sunday, following actionable intelligence on his hideouts.
During the operation, troops recovered an English pistol, 120 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 25 rounds of 7.62 NATO ammunition, one live cartridge, six mobile phones, and police and military uniforms.
The source added that soldiers also uncovered a criminal workshop used for dismantling stolen vehicles belonging to kidnapped victims, where 10 motorcycles were destroyed.
He described the arrest as a major blow to IPOB/ESN’s activities in the South East, including kidnapping, arms possession, impersonation, and trafficking in stolen vehicle parts.
The Army reiterated its commitment to dismantling terrorist and criminal networks threatening peace and security in the region and urged residents to provide timely and credible information to support ongoing operations.