Eastern Security Network: Seven Facts You Need To Know

When Nnamdi Kanu founded Eastern Security Network, it was received with heavy news coverage. Underneath this, two voices emerged: The first was that of the common Igbo man who sought a response from a form of authority on the issue of insecurity mostly perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen in Igboland. The second was the voice of the cautious Igboman – could the Nigerian security forces that have shown dire animosity for anything IPOB and used extra force in dealing with security coughs in the region use ESN as an excuse to militarize the Southeast and create a Boko Haram situation?

With the passage of time, the permutations and worries have remained in varying degrees of passion and intellect. Today, here, we take a more journalistic look at the issue of Eastern Security Network with the belief (more of hope) that stronger writers would take care of the predictive aspect. And with this, we may have an understanding of what the future (and the turbulent present) holds.

Eastern Security Network: Facts you need to know

1. The organization is funded with money from abroad

Nnamdi Kanu in his broadcasts usually said his army is being funded by Biafrans from the US, Europe, and other parts of the globe. More than just saying this, Nnamdi Kanu has held many virtual fundraising events to boost the resources for the upkeep of the boys.

Every year, according to Africacheck.org, Nigerians abroad send 25 billion dollars home. There are a lot of Igbos abroad and if a fraction of them send a fraction of what they send to family to the ESN, there would be billions of naira under ESN disposal.

2. Some of its members are drawn from the Nigerian military

ESN is not made up of street urchins and touts and the jobless in the East. Maybe there are touts and urchins and the jobless among their ranks but that is not the bulk of the forces. According to Nnamdi Kanu which seems to be collaborated by outside sources, their forces come from professional fighters including from the Nigerian Army.

Sahara Reporters quoted an insider who said thus:

“The Kanu ESN boys are not a bunch of rookies and untrained fellows brandishing guns. I personally know five guys from my hometown in Anambra State who left the Nigerian Army to join the ESN. Two of them were formerly serving in Operation Lafiya Dole, Borno State before they quit.”

Their sentiments are lucid: ESN reportedly has better welfare packages for its officers than the Nigerian military. Between July 2020 and January 2021, hundreds of soldiers resigned from the military. We do not have the figures of how many of them are in the ESN but feelers from the group suggested that a number of them are now under the employment of ESN.

3. ESN has repeatedly clashed with the military

Unlike the Amotekum, the Yoruba inspiration for ESN, the Eastern Security Network has continually fended off attacks from Nigerian security forces. It is not difficult to tell why – ESN was founded by a federal fugitive under the organization that FG considers a terrorist group.

Here is what ESN did to a Fulani settlement in Abia State

The security outfit has clashed with the Nigerian military in Orlu in January which even saw the deployment of fighter jets by Buhari’s forces.

4. Eastern Security Network is not just for Igboland

While the media would paint it as just about Igboland and many Igbos may see it so, the organization of Eastern Security Network is set to guard against the whole former Eastern Nigerian region and Igbo-speaking parts of the former Mid-Western Region. With this, ESN is in all 5 Southeast States and all Southsouth states with the exception of Edo State.

This is what Nnamdi Kanu claims but it is hard to tell how many of their operatives are present in non-Igbo states of the East such as Cross River and Bayelsa. States. The fact that the activities of Fulani herdsmen are lowest in the Southsouth where the topography and oil richness make the atmosphere unconducive for cattle, there are yet to be clashes for which ESN can show their hand.

5. The security outfit has other responsibilities besides Fulani herdsmen

In December 2020, Nnamdi Kanu weighed in on the incessant armed robbery attacks that POS operatives faced in the Southeast, especially in Aba, Abia State. He told POS operatives in the whole of the region to go about their trades without fear as he was on top of the situation.

There haven’t been reports of attacks on IPOB after that and this can be attributed to so many factors, but since Nnamdi Kanu had vowed to use ESN to crack down on armed robbers who terrorize POS operatives, he is within his rights to claim the glory.

6. There are intercommunity rivals in the courses of the ESN

Every community in the Southeast has its town-wide vigilante group recognized by the police and the state governments who sometimes donate equipment to them. These vigilantes cannot be said to be the rivals of IPOB’s Eastern Security Network because they have been present all through the challenges of Fulani herdsmen whom they are unable to prevent from carrying out atrocities on eastern soil.

Late last year, Enugu State government founded the Forest Guards, a paramilitary group to keep the forests of Enugu State safe from marauders. These men, if active, should have come across ESN operatives in Enugu forests. In March, the commercial centre of the east, Onitsha, created what can be rivals to ESN when the Obi constituted Onitsha Ado Security Network.

In a show of worry, Nnamdi Kanu instantly tweeted a claim that Onitsha Ado Security is funded by the Fulani oligarchy in order to make troubles for the ESN. He added that if the traditional government in Onitsha doesn’t back down it would end in tears for the monarch “and his local Miyetti Allah” group.

7. The fight between ESN and the Nigerian forces is not just physical

In war, one weapon readily used but rarely noticed is propaganda and there is no shortage of it between IPOB and the government in the centre. The government and the media and social media handles close to it have accused ESN of atrocities which ESN have denied carrying out. In all their clashes, IPOB has claimed victory and said that Nigerian forces ran for their lives leaving their equipment behind.

The government on their part have said they are only after dislodging ESN operatives and killing them a last resort. In March 2021 they claim to have killed 16 ESN operatives in Abia State. IPOB denied this saying that they only killed innocent Igbo people who have nothing to do with ESN.

Most times, it is hard to tell who to believe between the two. Most times, it is usually about believing the group where your sympathies lie.

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