Army arrests kidnap commander in Enugu, recovers rifles, cash

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Troops of the 82 Division/Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, in collaboration with operatives of the Department of State Services, have arrested a suspected commander of a kidnapping syndicate and recovered four AK-47 rifles, seven magazines and 133 rounds of ammunition from a forest hideout in Enugu State.

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The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni.

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Ayeni said the suspect was arrested during a coordinated intelligence-led operation in the Gariki General Area of Enugu State, following efforts to dismantle a criminal syndicate linked to the abduction of two persons in Udi Local Government Area on August 2, 2026.

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He said the arrest followed an earlier operation in which troops “neutralised one member of the syndicate and apprehended another.”

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According to him, intelligence obtained from the arrested suspect led to the identification of the fleeing commander and the location of the syndicate’s concealed arms cache.

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“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,” the statement said.

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The Army said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect was linked to several kidnapping activities across the South-East and North-Central regions.

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It added that US$1,000, N785,900 in cash and other incriminating items were recovered from the suspect.

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Further intelligence from the suspects led troops to Umuchingu Ujenike Forest, where members of the syndicate had allegedly concealed their weapons.

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The statement said, “During the follow-up operation, troops successfully recovered four AK-47 rifles, seven AK-47 magazines and 133 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition from the forest hideout.”

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The Army said the arrested suspect was undergoing further interrogation to assist ongoing operations aimed at apprehending other members of the criminal network and their collaborators.

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It described the operation as another demonstration of the effectiveness of intelligence-led joint operations in disrupting organised criminal networks and denying them access to weapons and safe havens.

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The Joint Task Force, Operation UDO KA, it added, would continue to work with other security agencies to sustain operations against criminal elements across the South-East.

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“Troops will continue to pursue all those who threaten the peace and security of law-abiding citizens while ensuring a safe and secure environment for socio-economic activities to flourish throughout the region,” the statement added.

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