Troops of Operation UDOKA have arrested key members of a notorious criminal syndicate linked to the deadly ambush on Nigerian soldiers in May and recovered military rifles stolen during the attack.
The breakthrough was recorded by troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade under the ongoing Operation EASTERN SANITY II, following weeks of intelligence-driven operations to track down those responsible for the May 4, 2026 attack, which claimed the life of a soldier and left another wounded.
In a statement issued on Saturday, August 1, 2026, the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, said the sustained operations culminated in the arrest of the principal suspects and the recovery of the stolen weapons.
According to him, troops, acting on credible intelligence, carried out a coordinated raid in the early hours of July 31, 2026, at Opaebe and Oleh in Delta State in collaboration with troops of the 181 Battalion under 63 Brigade Nigerian Army.
The operation led to the arrest of three suspected members of the gang identified as Chiboy, Marathon and Onowu, who allegedly fled to Delta State after the ambush on troops.
Ayeni disclosed that the suspects later led security operatives to their hideouts at Aggah Plantation, Ekpeaggah, Rivers State, and Umudike Plantation, where weapons stolen from the slain soldiers and other arms used in criminal operations were concealed.
“During the operation, troops recovered the stolen service weapons comprising one AK-47 rifle with two magazines and one FN rifle with two magazines,” he said.
He added that troops also recovered 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 items recovered included military camouflage uniforms, jungle hats, a fragment protection jacket, an empty first aid box and five mobile phones believed to be linked to the syndicate’s activities.
“The suspects are currently in custody for further investigation and will face prosecution in accordance with the law,” Ayeni stated.
He commended the professionalism and resilience displayed by the troops as well as the effective collaboration among security agencies, describing the operation as another major step in the fight against criminal networks in the South-East and adjoining states.
“The Headquarters Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDOKA, commends the professionalism, resilience, and inter-agency cooperation demonstrated by the troops throughout the operation. This success underscores the commitment of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies to safeguarding lives and dismantling criminal networks in order to sustain the peace-building processes ongoing across the region,” the statement added.
