A notorious terror kingpin and controversial pro-Biafra agitator has shot dead three of his “fighters” in Imo State, Nigeria’s South-east.
The terror kingpin, Ifeanyi Eze, is otherwise known as Gentle De Yahoo.
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A video clip which showed the terror kingpin shooting the victims at close range has been circulating on Facebook.
The clip was uploaded to a Facebook page on Monday.
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Although the clip did not reveal his face, PREMIUM TIMES confirmed from local sources that Mr Eze carried out the shooting in a community in the Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State.
The exact date of the incident is unclear, although there are indications that it happened sometime in August.
The deadly shooting and why
The terror kingpin is a commander of the Biafra Liberation Army in Okigwe, which was established by Simon Ekpa, the controversial Biafra agitator and leader of Autopilot, a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Mr Ekpa is facing a terrorism trial in Finland, where he lives. Like Mr Ekpa, Mr Eze has been linked to some deadly attacks and abductions in Okigwe. He hails from Aku, a community in Okigwe.
In the clip seen by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Eze was heard interrogating three of the victims behind a perimeter fence along an untarred road.
PREMIUM TIMES obtained a longer version of the clip in which the victims admitted robbing some motorists in Okwelle in Okigwe Area.
One of the victims admitted going to the operation with a pump-action gun in the company of the other victims, but claimed that the robbery was not intended.
Two of the victims, bare-chested, were chained together while the third victim, whose hands were chained, wore a short-sleeved yellow shirt with black stripes and black trousers.
The terror kingpin, who spoke in a mixture of Pidgin English and Igbo languages, accused the victims of leaving their “duty posts” and using rifles handed over to them to carry out an armed robbery operation without his authorisation.
From the conversations between Mr Eze and the victims, it was clear that the victims were pro-Biafra fighters under his command.
The terror kingpin, unsatisfied with their explanations, began to shoot them severally and separately at close range with an AK-47 rifle.
“I’m telling you now, this one will be a lesson to each and every one of you. You people think I am joking, right?” he said as he shot the victims, ignoring their pleas.
“Let everybody hear it, from today, anybody who dares take my iron (rifle) for robbery in people’s houses or anywhere, must receive it hot! Very hot!” Mr Eze yelled at the slain victims, cursing them.
Police speak
When contacted, the police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES.
Mr Okoye, a deputy superintendent of police, said police in the state were aware that “Gentle,” the terror kingpin, was behind the killing of the three victims.
“The Imo State Police Command is doing everything possible to make sure that Gentle and his cohorts are arrested and brought to book,” he said.
“I can assure you that very soon we will arrest him so that he will face the wrath of law for all the various crimes he has committed in the South-east. We’re keeping our records.”
READ ALSO: We’ll soon name terrorism financiers in Nigeria – Chief of Defence Staff
Increased attacks
Like other states in Nigeria’s South-east, security has deteriorated in Imo State with frequent attacks by armed persons.
The attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities.
The latest development came days after a vigilante operative and four residents were killed in Ezinachi Community, Okigwe Local Government Area of the state.
Last Wednesday, another vigilante leader and another vigilante member were killed by suspected herders who attacked Amakohia-Ubi, a community in Owerri West Local Government Area of the state.
Hundreds of persons have been killed or abducted and several others injured in some of such attacks in the region.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly accused IPOB of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the separatist group has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks.
IPOB is leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south Nigeria.
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