Nigerian Military Confirms IPOB Terrorist Commander Gentle the Yahoo is alive, but in Custody
The Nigerian Army has officially confirmed that Ifeanyi Eze, popularly known as Gentle the Yahoo, is alive and currently in military custody as of October 2025. He is a notorious commander of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
He was captured by troops during a military operation in Aku-Ihube, Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State, where a cache of weapons, ammunition, and other items were also seized.
The military operation dealt a significant blow to IPOB/ESN militant activities in the eastern region of the country, especially in Imo State, providing a window for security forces to press their advantage against the group.
Gentle the Yahoo had been linked to violent enforcement of sit-at-home orders and other criminal activities affecting the South East for years. His arrest raises both hope for improved security and concerns about potential retaliatory violence in the area
The Nigerian military, under Operation UDO KA, successfully apprehended Ifeanyi Eze, also known as Gentle the Yahoo, a notorious terror group leader, along with eight members of his gang during a major operation in Okigwe in September 2025. The operation also resulted in the neutralization of ten other gang members in a fierce encounter.
Following this, on October 13, 2025, the military eliminated another deadly commander of the terror group, named Alhaji, in a raid in Ezza-Eyimaggu, Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Military intelligence revealed that Alhaji was shot dead after attempting to disarm a soldier during his arrest.
The army arrested a female collaborator and dismantled several camps and a shrine used by the terror group for indoctrination and planning attacks in the South East region.
Also, during the same follow-up operation, the military arrested a female collaborator in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, identified as the group’s logistics supplier. During her arrest, troops discovered three children under her custody, belonging to a slain gang member, Mmaduabuchi Nwangwu, also known as Emergency.
In a related development, troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade, operating under the same formation, uncovered and destroyed a shrine belonging to the terror group in Mbaotoli Local Government Area of Imo State. Field reports indicate that the shrine was used for indoctrination, criminal planning, and coordination of attacks on security personnel and residents.
Items recovered from the site included assorted charms, communication gadgets, and materials used for illegal propaganda and recruitment. The troops also dismantled several camps believed to have served as training and meeting points for the secessionist group.
The Army further confirmed that similar operations were simultaneously conducted across other regions of the country, leading to massive recoveries of arms, ammunition, and logistics items.
The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to restoring lasting peace and security across the South East under Operation UDO KA.
