Troops Arrest Suspected Kidnapping Syndicate Commander, Recover Four Ak-47 Rifles In Enugu.

Troops Arrest Suspected Kidnapping Syndicate Commander, Recover Four Ak-47 Rifles In Enugu.

Commander, Recover Four Ak-47 Rifles In Enugu.

Troops of the 82 Division/Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, in collaboration with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested a suspected commander of a notorious kidnapping syndicate and recovered four AK-47 rifles, seven magazines and 133 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition in Enugu State.

The operation was carried out in the Gariki General Area of Enugu State following sustained intelligence efforts to dismantle a criminal syndicate linked to the abduction of two persons in Udi Local Government Area on August 2, 2026.

According to a statement issued on Monday by the Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations, 82 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, the arrest followed an earlier operation in which troops neutralised one member of the syndicate and apprehended another suspect.

The Army said intelligence obtained from the arrested suspect provided critical information that led security operatives to identify the fleeing syndicate commander and locate the group’s concealed weapons cache.

Acting on the intelligence, troops intensified the manhunt and eventually tracked, intercepted and arrested the suspected commander as he attempted to flee Enugu State.

Preliminary investigations, according to the Army, indicate that the suspect may be linked to several kidnapping operations across the South East and North Central regions.

Items recovered from the suspect included $1,000, ₦785,900 in cash and other items described as incriminating.

Further exploitation of intelligence obtained from the arrested suspects subsequently led troops to Umuchingu Ujenike Forest, where members of the syndicate were believed to have concealed their weapons.

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

The Army described the operation as another demonstration of the effectiveness of intelligence-driven joint operations in disrupting organised criminal networks, apprehending fleeing suspects and denying criminal elements access to weapons and safe havens.

The arrested suspect is currently undergoing further interrogation, with the Army saying the process is expected to provide additional intelligence for follow-on operations aimed at apprehending other members of the syndicate and their collaborators.

The Joint Task Force, Operation UDO KA, in collaboration with other security agencies, said it would sustain aggressive and intelligence-led operations against criminal elements across the South East.

The military further assured residents that troops would continue to pursue individuals and groups threatening the peace and security of law-abiding citizens while working to create a secure environment for socio-economic activities to thrive across the region.