The Nigerian Army arrested IPOB figure Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta, known as “Gentle de Yahoo,” in Imo.
Troops also seized weapons, motorcycles and rescued kidnap victims in nationwide security operations.
The Nigerian Army has announced the arrest of Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta, popularly known as “Gentle de Yahoo,” described as a key figure in the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
According to an Army statement, troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade, working with other security agencies, tracked and detained Okorienta at a hideout in Aku-Ihube, Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State. Soldiers also uncovered a stockpile of weapons and items at the site, including an English-made pistol, more than 140 rounds of assorted ammunition, a cartridge, six mobile phones, uniforms resembling those of the military and police, and a German flag.
Security personnel further discovered a workshop allegedly used to dismantle stolen vehicles for resale. Ten motorcycles found at the scene were also destroyed.
The Army said the Imo State operation was part of a series of coordinated missions nationwide. In Adamawa, Katsina, and Kogi States, troops freed 11 kidnap victims five in Madagali, another five in Malumfashi, and one in Lokoja. In Katsina, soldiers killed two suspected terrorists and seized an AK-47 rifle, ammunition, and a motorcycle.
Elsewhere in Benue, troops neutralized a violent extremist and confiscated charms and a mobile phone. Eleven suspects linked to armed robbery, gunrunning, and violent extremism were arrested across Benue, Kogi, and Kaduna States. In Plateau State, security forces recovered 40 stolen cattle and returned them to their owners.
Army authorities attributed these results to sustained collaboration with other security services, noting that joint efforts are steadily disrupting criminal networks across Nigeria.
