SaharaReporters gathered that the ex-soldier was arrested over the weekend during the burial of his father at Mbaise.
The Nigerian Army has arrested Nwagwu Chiwendu, a deserted army lance corporal allegedly responsible for training and recruiting people into the Eastern Security Network (ESN), SaharaReporters has gathered.
Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, had on December 12, 2020 launched the ESN, saying the regional security outfit, just like Amotekun in the South-West, would help to tackle crimes and criminalities in the South East.
In recent times, the group has been accused of perpetrating violent attacks in the region in order to achieve its agenda but IPOB has repeatedly denied being behind the attacks.
Military sources told SaharaReporters that Chiwendu (13NA/70/9974) deserted the army and joined ESN since January 2021.
He was said to be the IPOB’s militant arm main trainer in weapon handling and rose to become its deputy commander in Imo State within few months.
SaharaReporters gathered that the ex-soldier was arrested over the weekend during the burial of his father at Mbaise.
Upon his arrest, the suspect allegedly confessed killing a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Gulak.
Gulak, a former aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, was murdered by a group of armed men on May 30, 2021, during a visit to Imo State.
He was reportedly trailed from his hotel room to the spot where he was killed around Umueze Obiangwu in Ngor-Okpala LGA, close to the Sam Mbakwe Airport Road in Owerri.
“IPOB/ESN Deputy Commander for Imo State; 13NA/70/9974 Lcpl Nwagwu Chiwendu, a deserter of the Nigerian Army has been arrested. This soldier deserted the army and joined ESN since January 2021. He was their main trainer in weapon handling and rose to be the second-in-command to Temple who is now the leader of the group in Imo State.
“While in the army, he served in Operation Hadin Kai and thus has operational experience. He was arrested during the burial of his father at Mbaise. He confessed to killing former presidential aide, Gulak, and confirmed that his camp was responsible for the kidnapping the two expatriates along Owerri-Okigwe Road and the killing of two police inspectors escorting them.
“They are also the ones that killed soldiers in the same location and the burning of military Hilux vehicle last week. They equally participated in the attack on INEC office in Owerri. We have handed him over to the police,” a military source told SaharaReporters.