FLASHBACK: IPOB-linked atrocities, killings in South East

For years, Nigeria’s South-east has become an epicentre of violence linked to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

IPOB is a group leading an agitation for an independent state of Biafra, which it wants carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south of Nigeria.

Its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is facing a terrorism trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Mr Kanu, a Nigerian-British citizen, was first arrested in 2015 under the administration of then-President Muhammadu Buhari. 

The IPOB leader fled Nigeria in 2017 after Nigerian security forces invaded his family house in Afara-Ukwu, Abia State.

In June 2021, he was repatriated from Kenya to Nigeria under controversial circumstances.

The separatist group, in August 2021, declared a sit-at-home order to be observed every Monday across South-east and on other days, Mr Kanu appeared in court.

The illegal order was intended to protest Mr Kanu’s detention and pressure Nigeria’s government to release him.

After public outcry, IPOB suspended the sit-at-home order, but some factions of IPOB, particularly Autopilot IPOB led by Simon Ekpa, continued to enforce the illegal order.

Even after Mr Kanu wrote a letter, instructing Mr Ekpa to shelve the illegal order, the controversial Biafra agitator insisted that he would enforce the order.

Mr Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen, was recently jailed for terrorism in Finland.

Several people have been killed, abducted or injured by gunmen who enforce the illegal order across the south-east.

Goods and properties worth millions of naira have been razed by hoodlums enforcing the illegal order in the region.

PREMIUM TIMES has documented how the illegal order has been destroying businesses, frustrating farming activities and blocking residents’ access to healthcare services in the south-east.

Although the illegal order appears to have waned in some parts of the South-east, frequent attacks, killings and abductions are yet to end in the region.

The Kanu-led IPOB faction has continued to deny its involvement in the attacks, insisting that criminals carry out the attacks to blackmail the separatist group.

In this report, PREMIUM TIMES highlights some atrocities, killings and abductions linked to the group in the region.

Killing of Ahmed Gulak

On 30 May 2021, political adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, was shot dead by gunmen in Owerri, Imo State while the politician was on his way to Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri, en route to Abuja.

The police in the state would later accuse members of the IPOB and its militant wing, ESN, of being responsible for the killing.

Killing of INEC official

Gunmen who claimed to be Biafra agitators made real their threats to disrupt elections in the South-east in 2023 when they killed Anthony Nwokorie, an INEC official who was carrying out Continuous Voter Registration exercise in Imo State, alongside others.

Mr Nwokorie was killed on 14 April 2022 when the gunmen attacked some INEC officials and intending registrants at Nkwo Ihitte (PU 004) in Amakohia Ward (RA 02) in Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of the state.

Beheading of two soldiers

One of the most outrageous of the IPOB-linked atrocities in 2022 was the abduction of two soldiers – a man and a woman- who were traveling to Imo State for a planned marriage ceremony in May of that year.

The victims, A. M. Linus, said to be a Sergeant of the Nigerian Army, and his unidentified wife, said to be a lance corporal in the Army, were beheaded after being shot dead by the gunmen.

The hoodlums claimed in a viral video that they were uncomfortable with soldiers and other security operatives fighting Biafra agitators in the south-east.

Their corpses were dismembered by the gunmen. A gory image of their heads had gone viral on various social media platforms.

Beheading of a serving lawmaker in Anambra

On 21 May 2022, a serving lawmaker in Anambra House of Assembly, Okechukwu Okoye, was abducted and then beheaded by gunmen in Anambra State.

Mr Okoye, who was representing Aguata 2 Constituency in the assembly, was killed with his aide, Cyril Chiegboka, six days after they were abducted along Aguluzigbo Road, Anaocha Local Government Area of the state.

Killing of traditional ruler

The traditional ruler of Obudi, Agwa, Ignatius Asor, was, on 14 November 2022, killed when suspected IPOB members invaded the community.

Obudi, Agwa is a community in the Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.

Then-police spokesperson in the state, Michael Abattam, who confirmed this in a statement, said the slain monarch had allowed the terror group inside his palace after they disguised themselves as people in distress and had come to report an emergency to the royal father.

The suspected IPOB members also killed two aides of the monarch during the attack, the police had said.

Invasion of palace in Nigeria, killing of another traditional ruler

In July 2023, gunmen, suspected to be IPOB members, shot and killed Nnamdi Mmirioma, the traditional ruler of Ezuhu na Amadi Autonomous Community in Abor Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State.

The traditional ruler was shot dead by hoodlums who invaded his palace in the community.

Killing of DPO, police inspector

In November 2023, police in Imo State said some suspected IPOB members killed two police officers at Ahiara Junction in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of the state.

Killing of PDP House of Reps candidate

In February 2024, gunmen abducted and then killed a former House of Representatives candidate from Anambra State, Jude Oguejiofor.

Mr Oguejiofor, a lawyer, had contested for the Ihiala Federal Constituency House of Representatives seat in the 2023 general elections under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

He was abducted around 1 a.m. two weeks earlier, alongside his brother, by the gunmen linked to IPOB.

The incident happened in the Orsumoghu Community, where they had gone to see their aged parents.

But his brother was released unhurt by the gunmen, who subsequently accused Mr Oguejiofor of writing petitions against them and their activities in the community.

Mr Oguejiofor’s father later fainted and died on 8 February that year when the gunmen contacted the family and informed them that they had killed the politician.

Killing of youths in Imo

In June 2024, gunmen wreaked havoc in the Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State, where they killed six people.

The gunmen who carried out the attack were suspected to be IPOB members and its armed militant wing, ESN.

Attack on police facility

Within the same June 2024, gunmen attacked Ishieke Divisional Police Headquarters in the state.

The gunmen, suspected to be IPOB members, invaded the police facility at about 9:30 p.m. and started firing sporadic shots. Five of the gunmen were later confirmed killed by troops of the Nigerian Army who repelled the attack.

Killing of soldiers in Abia

On 30 May 2024, some gunmen, said to be IPOB members enforcing a sit-at-home order, killed about four soldiers in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State. (PREMIUM TIMES)