The notorious self-acclaimed Commander of the Biafra Liberation Army (BLA), Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta widely known as Gentle de Yahoo, had wreaked havoc in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State for years before his recent arrest by security agents. His reign of terror has left a tale of destruction, death and displacement among residents who were caused to live in constant fear of the unknown.
Okorienta was accused of orchestrating numerous high-profile attacks, kidnappings, and killings in the region. His gang had taken control of several communities, imposing their rule through violence and intimidation.
An indigene of Aku autonomous community in Okigwe Local Government Area, he was reportedly chased out of Orsu in Orlu LGA about four years ago before he took his nefarious activities to his hometown, committing numerous atrocities including the murder of a soldier couple returning home for their traditional marriage.
In a particularly gruesome incident, the woman, an army officer, was beheaded, causing terror to loom endlessly over the communities under his sphere. Yet his reign had begun in an innocuous manner as he and members of his group were only involved in mediating in land disputes. Families who had land quarrels would report to them and they would intervene.
The trend continued until their mediation began to wear the toga of violence and caused people to lose their lives.
In the process, they graduated into kidnappers, targeting members of the political class in particular to the extent that many were forced to quit politics. As a result, Okigwe LGA saw significant decline in political participation, as people were afraid to identify themselves as politicians for fear of attack.
Okigwe residents were then forced to pay homage to Gentle Yahoo’s group and seek their approval for even the simplest of social activities like marriage, burials or festivals.
An Imo resident said: “We cannot step a foot into Okigwe Local Government Area even as Imo indigenes because of these bandits.
“They mount checkpoints in all the villages, break into houses and occupy properties without approval. Even houses built by people in the diaspora are not spared.”
The atmosphere became so tense that many residents fled their homes, seeking refuge in neighbouring communities. Businesses have collapsed in the area and social life has come to a standstill.
Once-thriving communities like Ihube, Aku, Umulolo, Agbobu, Amuro, Umuowa Ibu, Umualumoke, Ezinachi and others are now like ghost towns.
A culture of violence
Gentle de Yahoo’s group has been linked to numerous atrocities, including organ harvesting, kidnapping and armed robbery. They have also been accused of seizing people’s farmlands, harvesting the crops and claiming ownership. Traditional rulers have been forced to pay homage to the group, with some even cooking for them.
It was gathered that nearly all the traditional rulers in the affected areas pay homage to the group to avoid being harmed. No monarch in Okigwe dared organise a programme or celebrate the new yam festival without first obtaining their approval.
Traditional rulers were forced to sympathise with the group and maintain communication with them; the only exemptions being Eze Acho, who was kidnapped and rescued but has since avoided Okigwe LGA, and Eze Aku, who has since fled the area.
“The boys are well-armed with bombs everywhere, and that is why the military finds it difficult to get to them,” a resident said, preferring anonymity for safety reasons.
“They have laid mines in many places, and one of the things they did was to subject the people to oath-taking, never to speak out or betray them.”
Arrest enmeshed in controversy
Reports quoting sources at the headquarters of the Nigerian Army had claimed that troops of Operation UDOKA had arrested Okorienta during a raid in Okigwe Local Government Area.
The operation, carried out on a Sunday, was said to have followed credible intelligence on the hideouts of the criminal kingpin.
Troops were also said to have recovered an English pistol, 120 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 25 rounds of 7.62 NATO ammunition, a live cartridge, six mobile phones as well as police and military uniforms.
The Nigerian Army has since confirmed that Okorienta was the target of a major operation in his stronghold at Ihube. But while some reports suggest he was killed, others indicate that he might have escaped.
Consequently, many residents remain skeptical despite reports of Gentle Yahoo’s arrest by the Nigerian Army.
“As we speak, Gentle de Yahoo is alive, moving freely in Okigwe,” a resident who prefers anonymity said.
“If the police or security agencies say they have arrested him, we challenge them to make the picture public.”
A resident of Umuowa Ibu, who gave his name simply as Boss, claimed that the news that Okorienta was arrested or eliminated is fake.
He said: “As we speak, Gentle de Yahoo is alive, moving freely in Okigwe.
“If the police or security agencies say they have arrested him, we challenge them to make the picture public. There should be nothing secret about his arrest.
“Remember, when Nnamdi Kanu was arrested in Kenya, it was not a secret. They brought him in handcuffs.
“When Simon Ekpa was arrested, they made it open and showed us the picture.
“There were many people before now who have terrorised other states, and when they are arrested, they would parade them.”
He said Gentle de Yahoo has committed so many crimes that he should not be tried secretly if at all he is arrested.
“I dare the Imo State Government, the military, police command, the Tiger Base or anyone who says that Gentle has been arrested to show the pictorial evidence. They should show us his corpse if he has been eliminated.
“Among the five people they claimed that they have killed, two were ladies and the second in command escaped, so there is no evidence to show that one of other three persons is Gentle.
“Now we are suspecting a foul play. Why the fake news and who sponsored it?
“And the state government is yet to respond to the news of Gentle de Yahoo being killed. No official report from Imo State Government with regard to this issue.
“We are now saying that the state government knows what they are doing. So the government and the military have alot of explanations to make. “
He said a top military officer contacted also said he was not aware of Okorienta’s arrest, adding: “Since an army officer is not aware, who arrested Gentle.? Even all the security agencies in Okigwe denied the arrest.
“So I am confirming to you 101 per cent that Gentle has not been arrested by anyone. I made all my investigations and found that this guy is still alive.
“They did not even get to where he is. They went to where they suspected he was, but he was not there. The 2ic and his second in command were not there.”
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He queried: “How are they obtaining their weapons, considering they operate with machine guns?
“How did they get those equipment, sophisticated weapons that are under the control of government?”
He noted that the group engages in daily shootouts with security agents but never runs out of ammunition. “They have walkie-talkie gadgets with which they communicate with themselves,” the resident said.
The question many are asking is how they are able to sustain their operations, given the kidnappings and other activities they engage in.
Another resident said: “The government has not been able to identify who has been supplying them weapons for more than four years, and they have sustained their operation.”
The situation, he said, has led to a mass exodus of residents, with many fleeing to neighbouring communities.
“Social life is gone in Okigwe Local Government,” the resident lamented.
“They have informants, and almost all the Okada riders in Okigwe are their informants.”
A call to action
Residents are calling on the state government to take decisive action to address the crisis. “We want the state government to block the source of supply of arms to this deadly group, equip local vigilante groups with arms, vehicles, and other facilities that will aid them to comb bushes and fish these bad boys out,” a resident said.
As the situation in Okigwe continues to deteriorate, one thing is clear: the people of Okigwe deserve peace, security, and justice. The government must act swiftly to restore order and bring Gentle Yahoo’s reign of terror to an end.