- Nnamdi Kanu Ordered Us to Bury Ikonso with 2,000 Human Heads — ESN Commander Confesses
“We Used Heads of 10 Girls for Charms, Most Police Officers I Killed Were Igbo”
By Ifeanyi Okolie | coolnews.ng | October 25, 2025 | Abuja
A shocking revelation has emerged from the ongoing investigations into the violent activities of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the militant arm of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). A 28-year-old ESN commander, Emeoyiri Uzorma Benjamin, popularly known as Onye Army, has made chilling confessions detailing how he and his men carried out brutal attacks, killed dozens of security operatives, and used human heads in fetish rituals allegedly ordered by IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Benjamin, who is currently in police custody, was arrested by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, for his alleged involvement in a series of coordinated killings, attacks on police stations, and destruction of government and private properties across Imo, Anambra, and other parts of the South-East region.
From Security Guard to Militant Commander
In his confession, Benjamin narrated how he drifted from a humble beginning into a life of violence.
“I worked in Lagos as a security guard with a building materials company,” he recounted. “In 2017, I returned to my village and started carpentry. One of my townsmen, John, approached me in 2019 and encouraged me to join IPOB, saying it was a noble movement for Biafra’s liberation.”
Benjamin said he began attending IPOB meetings at a building near the Orlu Teaching Hospital every Sunday. However, in November 2020, Nnamdi Kanu announced the creation of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), declaring that all security agencies should vacate the South-East.
“After the announcement, I volunteered to join the ESN,” he said. “I went for training at a camp near the Niger Bridge in Delta State with about 4,000 recruits. Our phones were seized, and we received instructions through voice notes said to be from Nnamdi Kanu. We were trained in handling rifles, ambush tactics, and jungle warfare.”
“We Were Told to Eliminate All Security Agents”
Upon completion of the training, Benjamin returned to Imo State under the command of the late ESN leader, Ikonso, who was later killed in a security operation. He said their first major assignment was to destroy police checkpoints and kill officers on sight.
“Nnamdi Kanu sent orders through radio Biafra and WhatsApp voice notes,” Benjamin revealed. “He said we must remove all police and military checkpoints because they were killing Igbo people. We were told to kill them and burn their stations.”
Benjamin confessed to leading several deadly ambushes and attacks, including one at a police checkpoint in Orlu where a police officer was killed and a patrol vehicle was set ablaze. “After that attack, we retreated to a Sabbath Church in Orlu, which served as one of our safe camps. But when the police raided the area, we relocated to a farm in Awidemili, Anambra State,” he added.
Owerri Prison Break and Major Attacks
Benjamin admitted that ESN fighters were behind the Owerri Correctional Centre attack and the burning of the Imo State Police Command Headquarters, where hundreds of inmates were freed and over 50 rifles were stolen.
“That operation was led by Ikonso, Engineer Mike, and Temple,” he said. “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu ordered that no one deserved to be in prison because he said Nigeria’s justice system was corrupt. We went with over 100 fighters, but soldiers intercepted us during our retreat, killing many of our members.”
He also confirmed that after Ikonso’s death in a joint security operation, ESN members launched retaliatory attacks, including the burning of the Imo State Governor’s house and the killing of a security man on duty.
“In revenge for Ikonso’s death, we attacked the governor’s house. We also burnt the house of a man in Awomama accused of giving security agents information about our commander. Anyone who opposed the struggle was declared an enemy,” he stated.
“Kanu Ordered 2,000 Human Heads for Ikonso’s Burial”
In one of the most gruesome revelations, Benjamin said that after Ikonso’s death, Nnamdi Kanu ordered them to bury him with 2,000 human heads.
“After Ikonso died, we were told by our leaders that Mazi Kanu instructed that he should be buried with 2,000 human heads to honor him as a warrior. So far, we had killed only about 30 people in that mission,” Benjamin said coldly.
He further admitted that their group performed fetish rituals and prepared “bulletproof” charms using human remains.
“The white and red cloths tied around our bodies in viral videos were charms. We made them from the heads of ten young girls. Those heads were used by our native doctors to prepare charms before we went for attacks,” he disclosed.
Bloody Orlu Police Station Attack
Benjamin described another deadly operation — the attempted invasion of Orlu Police Division, which ended disastrously for the group.
“We went with 10 vehicles, over 50 fighters, and more than 30 rifles. But before we reached the station, the army and police launched an ambush. Twelve of our fighters were killed instantly, and four others were injured,” he narrated.
After that failed operation, the group retreated to their camp in Ideato, Imo State, awaiting fresh directives from their commanders.
“We Were Never Paid; They Said We Were Freedom Fighters”
Contrary to assumptions that the ESN fighters were paid, Benjamin said they received no financial reward.
“We were not paid any money. They said we were fighting for our freedom and that our reward would come when Biafra is achieved,” he said.
Benjamin admitted that most of the police officers he killed were fellow Igbo men. “It pains me that I killed my own people, but I was under oath to obey Nnamdi Kanu, the supreme leader,” he confessed.
A Plea for Amnesty
Now behind bars, Benjamin said he was relieved that Nnamdi Kanu has been arrested, and he begged the Federal Government for mercy.
“I am happy that Nnamdi Kanu has been arrested. I regret everything. I beg for amnesty. I was deceived into thinking we were fighting for freedom, but we only brought sorrow to our land,” he said tearfully.
Public Reactions: “The Blood of the Innocent Cries for Justice”
Many Igbo leaders and residents have reacted strongly to Benjamin’s revelations, describing them as “a painful reminder of how a peaceful agitation was hijacked by bloodthirsty men.”
A South-East political activist, Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia II, condemned the atrocities in a post on X (formerly Twitter), writing:
“Kanu and all his followers who committed atrocities in Igbo land must pay for their sins. People calling for justice for Kanu have never cared to demand justice for the many innocent souls his group killed. I remember when he called for 2,000 heads for Ikonso’s burial — I asked if he would offer his own. Igbos don’t celebrate those who shed the blood of their own people. Those killed deserve justice!”
He ended his post with the hashtag #NeverAgain #JusticeForTheVictims.
The Larger Picture
The Federal Government has maintained that the ESN’s activities were acts of terrorism, not agitation. Security analysts believe that Benjamin’s confession provides more insight into the operational structure of ESN and the influence Nnamdi Kanu still wields over his followers despite his detention.
As investigations continue, there are growing calls for justice — both for the slain victims and for communities devastated by the violence.
- coolnews.ng will continue to follow developments from law enforcement agencies and court proceedings as more details emerge about the dark operations of the ESN and its leadership.
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