Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta, the self-acclaimed separatist commander known by the alias “Gentle Yahoo,” has been captured after weeks on the run. His arrest follows a brutal campaign of violence that culminated in the alleged execution of three young Igbo men, an act that was filmed and sparked national outrage.
The operation, a combined effort by the Nigerian Army and the Department of State Services (DSS), targeted Okorienta’s hideout in Okigwe, Imo State. Reports indicate a fierce gun battle ensued during the raid, resulting in the deaths of three of his lieutenants before he was ultimately subdued and taken into custody.
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Okorienta, infamously known as “Gentle the Yahoo,” was identified as a key commander within a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) loyal to Finland-based separatist leader, Simon Ekpa. Security sources allege he acted as a primary enforcer for the faction, ruthlessly implementing its directives. His most notorious role was enforcing the controversial “sit-at-home” orders, a weekly lockdown every Monday intended to agitate for a separate Biafran state. This enforcement often involved violence, intimidation, and extortion against local residents.
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His notoriety reached a peak several weeks ago when a graphic video surfaced online showing the execution of three young men accused of disobeying command. The video, which circulated widely on social media, drew widespread condemnation from across Nigeria, with many decrying the senseless killing and the climate of fear it created.
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The arrest of Gentle Yahoo has been met with palpable relief and jubilation in Okigwe. Residents, who had long lived under his shadow of terror, celebrated the news, identifying him as the source of daily atrocities and humiliation they were forced to endure.
This development strikes a blow to the operations of the Simon Ekpa-led IPOB faction. Ekpa himself was recently in the international spotlight, having been convicted of terrorism by a Finnish court and sentenced to six years imprisonment. The capture of his alleged on-the-ground “killing machine” in Nigeria further disrupts the chain of command and operational capacity of the group.
