Troops of the 82 Division/Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested a suspected commander of a kidnapping syndicate and recovered four AK-47 rifles and other ammunition from a forest hideout in Enugu State.
The operation, according to a statement issued on Monday, August 10, 2026, by the Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations, 82 Division Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, followed sustained intelligence gathering aimed at dismantling a criminal network linked to the abduction of two persons in Udi Local Government Area on August 2.
Ayeni said the suspect was arrested in the Gariki General Area of Enugu State as he attempted to flee the state following an earlier operation in which troops neutralised one member of the syndicate and arrested another.
He said intelligence obtained from the arrested suspect led security operatives to identify the fleeing commander and locate the group’s concealed weapons.
“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, troops intensified the manhunt, leading to the tracking, interception and arrest of the fleeing syndicate commander as he attempted to escape from Enugu State,” Ayeni said.
He added that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect was linked to several kidnapping activities across the South-East and North-Central regions.
Items recovered from the suspect included US$1,000, ₦785,900 in cash and other items described as incriminating.
Further exploitation of the intelligence led troops to Umuchingu Ujenike Forest, where they recovered four AK-47 rifles, seven AK-47 magazines and 133 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition concealed by members of the syndicate.
Ayeni said the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led collaboration between security agencies in disrupting organised criminal networks and denying them access to weapons and hideouts.
“The arrested syndicate commander is currently undergoing further interrogation to facilitate follow-on operations aimed at apprehending other members of the criminal network and their collaborators,” he said.
The Army spokesman said Operation UDO KA, in collaboration with other security agencies, would sustain intelligence-driven operations against criminal elements across the South-East.
He assured that troops would continue to pursue individuals threatening the peace and security of residents while working to create a secure environment for socio-economic activities across the region.
