Kingpin Declares He’s Alive in Viral Video – DHQ on High Alert

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced plans to investigate a viral video showing a notorious terror suspect, Ifeanyi Eze, also known as Gentle De Yahoo, who the Nigerian military had earlier declared “captured.”

The terror kingpin, a native of Imo State in the South‑East, was reportedly apprehended by troops of Operation Udo Ka during an operation in the region between October 8 and 13, 2025, the military had said.

However, on January 28, 2026, a video clip began circulating widely on social media showing Eze apparently alive, dancing and threatening those he accused of betrayal.

The footage suggested he had travelled to Akwa Ibom State in the South‑South for medical treatment after he and his militants were poisoned.

At a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said the clip might have been digitally generated using artificial intelligence (AI).

“What I can say is that in this current dispensation of AI, it is possible to create anything just to destabilise and cause panic within society,” Onoja said.

The general told journalists that the military would work with other security agencies to verify the authenticity of the footage.

“Notwithstanding, we will initiate necessary action with relevant security agencies to confirm if it is that he (Mr Eze) is back,” he added.

He also assured that if the military confirms Eze’s return to active status, authorities would take immediate action to contain him and his group.
Gentle De Yahoo’s Profile And Activities

Eze, who claims to be a Biafran agitator, has been linked to several deadly attacks in the Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State, where he was said to have led fighters in violent assaults.

He is described as a commander of the Biafra Liberation Army, a faction established by Simon Ekpa, a controversial Biafra agitator who formerly led a section of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) known as Autopilot.

IPOB is an organisation agitating for the creation of a sovereign Biafran state from parts of the South‑East and South‑South.

Earlier reporting by Premium Times in September 2025 suggested that Eze and several members of his group were feared killed when Nigerian troops raided their hideout in Aku‑Ihube, Okigwe LGA.

At the time, military sources told the newspaper that it was unclear whether Eze was among those killed.

Security across the South‑East has deteriorated in recent years, with frequent attacks by armed groups claiming to agitate for Biafra and other criminal elements. The Nigerian government has repeatedly accused IPOB of responsibility for many deadly attacks in the region.

However, the faction of IPOB loyal to Nnamdi Kanu has consistently denied involvement. Kanu was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism in November 2025, while Simon Ekpa was also jailed on terrorism charges in Finland earlier this year.

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