Ifeanyi Nwosu Alphuns, others on the Run For Fear Of Being Imprisoned or Execution

Since Nigeria’s civil war ended decades ago, many groups have continued to advocate for secession from Nigeria.

In 2012, the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) were established for the creation of the Sovereign state of Biafra in the Eastern part of Nigeria.

IPOB has accused the Nigerian government of poor investment, political alienation, inequitable resource distribution, ethnic marginalization, and heavy military presence, extrajudicial killings by state actors in the region.

IPOB’S activities include creation of awareness among the populace, distribution of flyers, prayer gatherings and marches.
It was for this purpose that one Mr. Ifeanyi Nwosu Alphuns from Akwu Akokwa in the Ideato North local government area of Imo State decided to join in 2018.

Since its creation, southeast Nigeria has been home to unending violent attacks often perpetrated by states actors.

Trouble started for Ifeanyi Nwosu In November, 2020, when IPOB’s peaceful procession along coca cola Bus-stop onitsha was interrupted by a team of naval officers and it resulted in the death of some members of IPOB. So many IPOB members were arrested and some escaped unhurt including one Mr. Ifeanyi Nwosu Alphuns. Despite the fact that the group activities have been non-violence it was banned and proscribed and Nigeria government declared a massive crackdown on members of the group through her security agencies such as the Army, police, DSS etc. These clashes always lead to killing, maiming, intimidation, arrest, torture and abductions of IPOB members.

Since then till date, various locations in eastern Nigeria: Akwu Akokwa in Imo State, Ohafia and Ngwa high school in Aba, Abia State, Onitsha in Anambra state and some other location in the south east Nigeria to mention a few, many IPOB members have been killed, some arrested and in detention, some declared wanted, while some escaped unhurt and are still in hiding as security operatives are still in search of them due to the groups proscription by the Nigeria state.

The question is, is it wrong to fight for self determination? IPOB’s
Agitations are as a result of marginalization, economic sabotage, ethnic bigotry to mention just a few.

What really made Ifeanyi to run away is the incidence of the 21st day of October 2021, when some military men including the police and Ebube-Agu members invaded their community, unannounced, burnt, injured many and murdered in cold blood some citizens of the village.

The military men came with about seven (7) Hilux (Jeep) vehicles filled with soldiers, police and some gunmen without uniforms popularly known as Ebube-Agu.

People were afraid and started running for the safety of their lives as they were so fierce when they came.

Their motives were unknown to everyone until they arrived at his (Ifeanyi) cousins house, and started shooting sporadically calling on Chukwudi and Ebere, to come out, labelling them IPOB members including Ifeanyi to the surprise of members of the village.

The two brothers were not lucky, They died instantly as a result of the gun shoot injury but Ifeanyi Nwosu escaped again unhurt.

Their uncle who came for their defense that they are not members of IPOB and have never identified with the group (IPOB) talk less of being members couldn’t withstand what he saw, he developed a heart attack till date he has not recovered from the shock.

The villagers out of fear couldn’t come out to defend their brothers, according to them you cannot fight a man with a gun.

After 4 years since this ugly incidence took place nothing has been done by either the federal government of Nigeria or the Imo state government to unravel the reason behind this heinous acts or compensate the family as well as the entire village for their loss instead Ifeanyi Nwosu Alphuns was declared wanted, since then his whereabout is unknown to everybody.

He has been targeted severally by security agencies for his active involvement with the group. Mr. Ifeanyi’s house has been raided on different occasions by state actors and materials belonging to the group have often been found in his house.

And there is heightened fear among his family members that if their son eventually returns he will be executed just like his cousins; Chukwudi and Ebere. Their fears are compounded by the recent visits to Akwu Akokwa by different security outfits including troops of the Nigeria army and the police on Wednesday 30th, April 2025.

Due to the travail of Ifeanyi, his father developed hypertension and died of cardiac arrest on November 30, 2022 and ifeanyi wasn’t able to attend the burial for fear of being arrested by the State actors.

An IPOB official who spoke on the condition of anonymity believes that if found would be made to face the wrath of the law in Nigeria.

He’s advising him to remain where he is if he’s still alive to avoid being imprisoned or executed.

Initially, it was reported that Mr. Ifeanyi Nwosu escaped to Abuja, the northern part of Nigeria for fear of being rearrested by the police but all efforts made by the police to trace him is not yielding positive results.

According to the police, the whereabouts of the man has remained unknown to everybody. Nobody knows whether he is alive or not, escaped out of the country for safety purposes.

According to the police, Mr. Ifeanyi is fair in complexion, he is from Akwu Akokwa in the Ideato North local government area of Imo State in Nigeria. He speaks English and Igbo fluently and He was last seen in Lagos early 2023 and till date we are still searching for him.

Anybody with useful information about his whereabouts that will lead to his arrest should report to the nearest police station.