Military Raids Lead to Arrest of Notorious Gang Members, Recovery of Stolen Weapons
Troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade under Operation UDOKA have dismantled a notorious criminal syndicate and recovered weapons stolen during a deadly ambush on Nigerian Army personnel, in a major breakthrough under the ongoing Operation EASTERN SANITY II.
The operation followed the 4 May 2026 ambush on troops, during which one soldier was killed and another sustained injuries. In response, the military launched sustained intelligence-driven operations to track down those responsible and recover the stolen service weapons.
Acting on credible intelligence in the early hours of 31 July 2026, troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade, in collaboration with personnel of the 181 Battalion under the 63 Brigade, conducted coordinated raids at Opaebe and Oleh in Delta State. The operation led to the arrest of three key suspects identified as Chiboy, Marathon and Onowu, who allegedly fled to Oleh after the attack on the troops.
Following their arrest, the suspects reportedly led security forces to their hideouts at Aggah Plantation in Ekpeaggah, Rivers State, and Umudike Plantation, where the stolen weapons and other arms used for criminal activities had been concealed.
During the operation, troops recovered one stolen AK-47 rifle with two magazines and one FN rifle with two magazines. They 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 shirts and trousers, jungle hats, a fragment protection jacket, an empty first aid box, and five mobile phones believed to be connected to the syndicate’s criminal operations.
The suspects are currently in military custody and will be investigated further before being prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Headquarters Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDOKA, commended the professionalism, resilience and effective inter-agency collaboration displayed by the troops throughout the operation.
The task force noted that the successful operation demonstrates the commitment of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies to dismantling criminal networks, protecting lives and property, and sustaining ongoing peace-building efforts across the South-East and adjoining areas.
