…..advocates honesty in the fight against insecurity
Prominent pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has praised both the traders of Onitsha Main Market in Anambra state and the governor Professor Chukwuma Nwangbafor Charles Soludo for ending the perennial sit-at-home Monday boycotting of markets even as HURIWA said ending the sit-at-home in the entire South East of Nigeria would significantly lead to the eventual resuscitation of the economy of Igboland that has suffered prolonged disturbances and killings by armed terrorists.
Conversely, HURIWA through the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, has advocated the demonstration by heads of the security forces of the capacity to end the insecurity in Nigeria and for the government officials to be honest in their public dealings with the members of the public just as HURIWA said the Defence Headquarters must transparently resolve the controversy surrounding the appearance of the notorious terrorist mastermind in Imo state ‘Gentle de Yahoo’.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Thursday October 16th 2025, announce the capture of the notorious commander of the Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN), Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta, popularly known as ‘Gentle de Yahoo.’
The media quoting the Defence Headquarters stated that the notorious leader of gunmen is now in the custody of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).
Earlier in September, reports emerged alleging that troops of 34 Artillery Brigade, in conjunction with other security forces, conducted a joint operation where they arrested the said Commander in Aku-Ihube, Okigwe Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State, and recovered arms, ammunition, uniforms, motorcycles, and even a German flag from his hideout.
But it turned out that while the Nigerian troops overran the terror leader’s enclave, he escaped while his second-in-command and other fighters were killed and others arrested.
Details of the arrest, location or the unit holding him is still sketchy but Defence Headquarters said a statement would be issued shortly on the issue which it never did.
HURIWA recalled that following the re-emergence of ‘Gentle de Yahoo’, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) debunked a viral video in which an Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) commander, Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta, popularly known as Gentle De Yahoo, was seen claiming that he was alive and had returned.
The military high command, speaking through the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, during a press briefing on Friday, stated that the video might have been generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
HURIWA recalled that in a video released few days ago, a visibly limping Gentle the Yahoo announced his return, alleged that he was poisoned while in government custody, and vowed to restore peace to Okigwe, amid warnings to the governors of Imo and Anambra states, Hope Uzodimma and Chukwuma Soludo.
However, Major General Onoja noted that such videos were not impossible, especially given the prevalence of social media and artificial intelligence.
He said, “What I can say is that in this era of AI, it is possible to create anything just to destabilize and cause panic within society.”
HURIWA said: “Nigerians are obviously watching the Nigerian Government and the Defence Headquarters to come out with a credible evidence of the situation of the alleged terrorism mastermind in Imo state ‘Gentle de Yahoo’. The Defence Headquarters owes Nigerians the duty to prove that there was no intention on their part to lie to Nigerians. The report of the investigation as promised by the Defence Headquarters should be publicised for Nigerians to read abd evaluate the credibility or otherwise of the probe.”
