In a tense escalation of the security crisis in Nigeria’s southeast, the Federal Government has declared nine individuals wanted for alleged involvement in the killing of three Fulani herdsmen near the Enugu border with Kogi State.
The incident, which occurred in early September, is the latest in a series of violent clashes between local vigilantes allegedly linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra and suspected Fulani militia accused of attacks on rural communities in southern Nigeria.
According to military sources, a joint task force launched an operation in Igbo Eze North and surrounding communities after intelligence reports linked IPOB and ESN members to the killing of the three herdsmen. In the operation, two suspected members were killed, three were arrested, and four others remain at large.
Names and Origins of the Wanted Persons:
1. Chibuike Onyema, 27, from Isiugwu, Enugu Ezike
2. Obinna Nnaji, 35, from Umuopu, Enugu Ezike
3. Ifeanyi Ede, 29, from Aku, Igbo Etiti
4. Sunday Attah, 34, from Isiugwu, Enugu Ezike
5. Ebuka Mbah, 28, from Alor-Agu, Igbo Eze South
6. Agada Kingsley Ogbonna, 28 from Isiugwu, Enugu Ezike
7. Tochukwu Nweke, 31, from Obollo-Afor, Udenu
8. Kenneth Ozioko, 32, from Nsukka town
9. Uchenna Aniebo, 26, from Obollo-Eke, Udenu
According sources, the members of the proscribed organization who were indigenes of Isiugwu, Enugu Ezike, took laws into their hands after persistent attacks from Fulani Herdsmen on their community. They invited other members from other communities to assist them in carrying out the act.
The military confirmed that two of the individuals, Ebuka Mbah and Chibuike Onyema, were killed in a gun battle during a night raid in Isiugwu, Enugu Ezike.
Three others, Tochukwu Nweke, Uchenna Aniebo, and Ifeanyi Ede, were reportedly arrested and taken to unknown detention facilities. The Nigerian Army spokesperson in Enugu confirmed the operations but declined to disclose the location of the arrested suspects. “These individuals were part of an armed group responsible for the killing of innocent citizens. We will continue to neutralize threats to the peace of our nation,” the statement read.
Background:
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is a secessionist group advocating for the independence of the southeast region of Nigeria, historically known as Biafra. In 2017, the Federal Government of Nigeria declared IPOB a terrorist organization, a move that sparked widespread debate and condemnation from international human rights groups.
In response to rising insecurity, IPOB established the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in 2020, claiming the aim was to protect southeastern communities from violent Fulani herdsmen.
However, the federal government has accused ESN of extrajudicial killings and operating illegal paramilitary camps. Over the past few years, Fulani herdsmen attacks have been reported in many parts of the southeast, particularly in Uzo Uwani, Nsukka, and Igbo Eze North LGAs, where communities say they’ve suffered from farm invasions, kidnappings, and killings allegedly carried out by armed pastoralists. The failure of the Federal Government to curtail these attacks has fueled suspicion and accusations of complicity.
In a notable earlier incident, on 11th April 2019, over 1,000 women from Isiugwu community in Enugu-Ezike took to the streets clad in black, protesting incessant attacks that had claimed the lives of four residents: Ezeja Christiana, Idoko Felix, Ernest Aleke, and Ike Idoko. Another victim, Ngozi Ossai, survived a brutal machete attack to the head. The women marched to the Igbo-Eze North Local Government Secretariat and the Ogrute police division, carrying placards that read, “We say no to killings in Isiugwu, Enugu-Ezike,” and “Igwe, you are sleeping when your people are being killed.” The Council Chairman, Uwakwe Ezeja, at the time promised government action and protection, but residents insist little changed.
The 2021 killings and subsequent crackdown on IPOB/ESN members are now being viewed in the context of that long-standing insecurity. Allegations of Complicity: IPOB and several southeastern groups have long accused the Federal Government of turning a blind eye to the actions of Fulani herdsmen, many of whom operate with impunity across rural communities. “The government calls IPOB a terrorist organization, but allows Fulani militias to roam free with AK-47s,” said an IPOB sympathizer in Nsukka.
As the region braces for more military operations, tension remains high in Enugu Ezike and neighboring towns, with locals fearing more arrests and reprisal attacks.
Civil rights groups have called for transparent investigations and urged the government to address the root causes of the BREAKING NEWS REPORT conflict-including land disputes, security failures, and the call for regional autonomy. More updates to follow
