The Nigerian troops have arrested a deputy commander of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) who allegedly killed Ahmed Gulak, a political adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, according to PRNigeria.
The suspect, Nwagwu Chiwendu, was arrested on Tuesday during the burial of his father at Mbaise in Imo State, Nigeria’s South-east.
Mr Chiwendu was to be the IPOB’s main trainer in weapon handling, who later rose to become the second in command to Temple, who is now the leader of the group in the state.
The suspect, Mr Chiwendu, was said to have deserted the Nigerian Army, and joined IPOB’s militant wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN), since 21 January.
“He served on OPHK and thus has operational experience. He was arrested yesterday during the burial of his father at Mbaise. He is taking us to their camp tonight at Obowo.
“He confessed to killing Gulak and confirmed that his camp is responsible for kidnapping the two expatriates along Owerri-Okigwe Road and the killing of two police inspectors escorting them.
“They are the ones that also killed our soldiers in the same location and the burning of our Hilux last week. They equally participated in the attack on the INEC office in Owerri. He is currently with the police,” PRNigeria quoted a military source as saying.
Background
Mr Gulak, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, was shot dead by gunmen in Owerri, Imo State, on 30 May 2021.
The attack happened while the politician was on his way to Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri, en route to Abuja.
The police in the state would later accuse members of the IPOB and its militant wing, ESN, of being responsible for the killing of the former political adviser.
IPOB is a group leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants to be carved out from the South-east and some parts of South-south Nigeria.
