The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has stated that it will look into a viral video that showed Ifeanyi Eze, a notorious terror kingpin, who was previously reported as captured by them.
Ifeanyi Eze, infamously referred to as Gentle De Yahoo, originates from Imo State in South-east Nigeria.
During a press briefing held in Abuja on Friday, Major General Michael Onoja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, announced that the military will investigate the video clip.
PREMIUM TIMES obtained a recording of the press briefing releasing details regarding the situation.
Earlier, the DHQ had reported that troops from Operation Udo Ka of the Nigerian Army had 'captured' Mr. Eze between October 8 and October 13, 2025, during operations in the southeastern state.
However, on January 28 of this year, a video emerged showing Eze announcing his return from an undisclosed location, while issuing threats to those he believes betrayed him.
In the video seen by PREMIUM TIMES, Eze appears to be celebrating his alleged survival and claims he received medical treatment in Akwa Ibom State after he and his cohort were poisoned.
At the Friday briefing, Major General Onoja remarked that it is possible the video was created using Artificial Intelligence (AI). He noted, 'In this era of AI, it is conceivable to fabricate anything that could incite unrest and fear within society.'
Regardless of the video's authenticity, he confirmed that the military would take necessary steps alongside relevant security agencies to determine whether Eze's claims of freedom are valid. If confirmed, he assured that the military would act swiftly to prevent him and his group from causing further harm.
Eze has previously claimed the role of a Biafran agitator and has connection to several violent incidents in the Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State, including the reported murder of three of his fighters in the region.
As the commander of the Biafra Liberation Army in Okigwe, he is linked to Simon Ekpa, another controversial figure in the Biafran independence struggle and leader of the IPOB faction known as Autopilot.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) advocates for the establishment of a separate Biafran state, which would encompass parts of South-east and South- south Nigeria. Recently, Ekpa was sentenced to prison for terrorism in Finland.
Moreover, PREMIUM TIMES reported in September that Eze and several of his men were feared killed during a Nigerian military raid on their hideout in Aku- Ihube, Okigwe. Military sources indicated it was uncertain whether Eze was among those killed in that operation.
In the South-east, security has deteriorated, with numerous attacks from armed groups recently. The Nigerian government has frequently accused IPOB of orchestrating such violent activities in the region, although IPOB, under Nnamdi Kanu's leadership, has denied these allegations.
Like Ekpa, Kanu was also convicted for terrorism and sentenced to life imprisonment in November 2025.
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to comment.
Be the first to comment on this article!