Nigerian Army on Wednesday announced the arrest of Awurum Eze, the second in command to Ikonso, commander of IPOB/ESN, who was killed last month.
Eze was arrested in Aba, Abia State, the Army said in a statement by its spokesman Brig Gen Mohammed Yerima.
“The 48 years old Awurum Eze, a native of Umoneke Nta, Isiala-Mbano LGA, Imo State, had on the 4th of May 2021 escaped when operatives of Intelligence Response Team (IRT) stormed his village house in Isiala Mbano where he was hiding,” Yerima said.
“Intensive manhunt was thereafter launched towards tracing and arresting him. “He was eventually apprehended on Wednesday, 12 May 2022, in Aba after weeks of unrelenting follow-ups by operatives. “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.
“Many of the arrested IPOB /ESN terrorists had earlier mentioned him as their key sponsor, mastermind and Second in Command to late Ikonso.
“According to them, amongst all their leaders in Imo State, only Ikonso and Awurum have a direct communication link with Nnamdi Kanu. He can be seen in several photographs posing with the fugitive terrorist leader, Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement said, adding that: “Investigation by a combined team of security operatives continues”.
The federal government declared on Tuesday that an attack on any security officer amounted to a declaration of war.
IPOB and the ESN, its militant wing have been fingered in most of the attacks on security operatives in the South East, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers States, although the two organisations have always denied their involvement.
