Wed nesday, 12 May 2021: The Nigerian Army on Wednesday arrested Awurum Eze, second in command of the Eastern Security Network, (ESN), the militant arm of the outlawed pro-Biafra group, (IPOB) in Aba, Abia State.

Army spokesperson, Mohammed Yerima, a Brigadier General, revealed this in a statement Wednesday night.

According to him, Mr Eze is the assistant to the late Ikonso, the ESN commander, who was killed weeks back in a gunfire exchange with security agents.

The 48-year old Awurum Eze, a native of Umoneke Nta, Isiala-Mbano LGA, Imo State, had on the 4th of May 2021 escaped when operatives of Intelligence Response Team, (IRT), stormed his village house in Isiala Mbano where he was hiding.

Intensive manhunt was thereafter launched towards tracing and arresting him. He was eventually apprehended on Wednesday, in Aba after weeks of unrelenting follow-ups by operatives.

Awurum Eze is one of the main sponsors of the numerous killings in Imo State and has been on the wanted list of security agents for more than three months.

Many of the arrested IPOB /ESN terrorists had earlier mentioned him as their key sponsor, mastermind and Second in Command to late Ikonso. According to them, amongst all their leaders in Imo State, only Ikonso and Awurum have direct communication link with Nnamdi Kanu. He can be seen in several photographs posing with the fugitive terrorist leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

The army spokesman added that investigation by the combined team of security operatives continues.