Just in: Army Storms IPOB Hideout, Arrests Ikonso’s Second-In-Command

Just in: Army Storms IPOB Hideout, Arrests Ikonso’s Second-In-Command

- One of the wanted leaders of the ESN/IPOB, Awurum Eze, has met his waterloo

- The 48-year-old man is said to be one of the few members of the proscribed group that has a direct link with the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu

- Eze who was arrested in Aba during a raid is believed to have masterminded the recent killings in Imo state

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The second-in-command to the late Ikonso, the neutralised commander of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN), has been arrested.

The Nation reports that the director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, disclosed this in a statement.

Just in: Army Storms IPOB Hideout, Arrests Ikonso’s Second-In-Command
Many of the arrested IPOB /ESN members had earlier mentioned Awurum Eze as their key sponsor. Photo credit: Biafra Politics
Source: Facebook

Awurum Eze was nabbed on Wednesday, May 12, in Aba, Abia state.

The 48-year-old man's arrest came about a week after security operatives stormed his village house in Isiala Mbano where he was hiding but he escaped and a manhunt was thereafter launched to trace him.

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According to Premium Times, he is one of the wanted leaders of ESN and his name has been reportedly popping up during confessions by many arrested IPOB /ESN.

The statement partly read:

“Awurum Eze is one of the main sponsors of the numerous killings in Imo State and has been on the wanted list of security agents for more than 3 months."

Yerima disclosed that the arrested members said only the late Ikonso and Awurum have a direct communication link with Nnamdi Kanu.

IPOB commander neutralised

Legit.ng had reported the death of Ikonso who was said to be the commander of the IPOB military.

He was among seven members of the group who were killed on Saturday, April 24, in Imo state when security operatives stormed the operational headquarters of the ESN.

Ex-IPOB member speaks up

A former member of the ESN group had called on Igbo leaders to close all security gaps and do their best to flush out evil elements in the region.

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Lauretta Onochie, a presidential media aide, released a personal chat with the man whose identity she did not disclose.

The former militant admitted to Onochie that the killing of Commander Ikonso made him and his colleagues reconsider their membership of the terrorist body.

APC kicks against insecurity in Imo

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) said that it will not fold its hands while insurgents try to turn Imo state into a killing field.

Legit.ng reported that the party described the recent developments in the state as gruesome and dangerous.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Nkem Ikeke avatar

Nkem Ikeke (Copy editor) Nkem Ikeke is currently a copy editor who also writes for the politics and current affairs desk on weekends. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2010), and has over 10 years of work experience in the media industry (Reporter, News Agency of Nigeria). Email: n.ikeke@corp.legit.ng