12th May, 2021
The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said it has arrested Awurum Eze, who is the second-in command to Ikonso Commander.
Eze was arrested in Abia State after the army carried out a raid on hideouts of members of Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) in the state.
The army, in a statement on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of Eze after a raid in Abia State.
Director of Public Relations at the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, confirmed the arrest of Eze.
Forty-eight years old Eze is a native of Umoneke Nta in Isiala-Mbano Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
Yerima said on Tuesday last week, the IPOB member was said to have escaped when operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) stormed his village house in Isiala Mbano where he was reportedly hiding.
He said intensive manhunt was, thereafter, launched towards tracing and arresting him, adding that Eze was eventually apprehended on Wednesday, 12 May 2022, in Aba after weeks of unrelenting follow-ups by operatives.
The Army General alleged that 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 three months.
He stated that many of the arrested IPOB members were said to have mentioned him as their key sponsor, mastermind, and second-in-command to late Ikonso.
“According to them (the arrested suspects), 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. Investigation by the combined team of security operatives continues,” Yerima said.
Ikonso Commander, who was leader of militia arm of IPOB, was killed in a joint operation between operatives of the police, Department of State Services and Army on April 24, 2021.
He was killed along with six other fighters of the militia group in the operation at the operational headquarters of the militant group in Awomama Village, Oru East LGA of Imo State.