Troops of the Nigerian Army under Operation UDOKA have arrested key members of a notorious criminal syndicate allegedly responsible for the deadly ambush of soldiers in May 2026 and recovered weapons stolen during the attack.
The operation, carried out by troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade under Operation EASTERN SANITY II, followed months of intelligence-led raids launched after the ambush on May 4, 2026, in which one soldier was killed and another sustained injuries.
According to a statement issued by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, the sustained operations culminated in the arrest of three suspects identified by their aliases as Chiboy, Marathon, and Onowu.
The statement disclosed that the suspects were apprehended in the early hours of July 31, 2026, during a coordinated operation conducted by troops in collaboration with personnel of the 181 Battalion under 63 Brigade. The raid targeted Opaebe and Oleh communities in Delta State, where the suspects had allegedly fled after the ambush.
Following their arrest, the suspects reportedly led troops to their hideouts at Aggah Plantation, Ekpeaggah, Rivers State, and Umudike Plantation, where the stolen military weapons and other arms were concealed.
During the operation, troops recovered the two service rifles stolen during the ambush—an AK-47 rifle with two magazines and an FN rifle with two magazines. Security forces also seized three additional AK-47 rifles with nine magazines, pistols with their magazines, 194 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, and 45 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition.
Other recovered items included military camouflage uniforms, jungle hats, a fragment protection jacket, an empty first aid box, and five mobile phones believed to be connected to the syndicate’s criminal activities.
The Army said the suspects are currently in custody and will be prosecuted after the conclusion of investigations.
The Headquarters Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDOKA, commended the professionalism, resilience, and collaboration displayed by the troops during the operation, noting that the success reflects the determination of the Armed Forces and other security agencies to dismantle criminal networks and sustain ongoing peace-building efforts across the South-East and adjoining regions.
