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 7.62mm Special ammunition in Enugu State.
The suspect was arrested during a coordinated intelligence-led operation in the Gariki General Area of the state following sustained efforts to dismantle the syndicate allegedly responsible for the abduction of two persons in Udi Local Government Area on August 2, 2026.
The operation followed an earlier encounter in which troops neutralised one member of the group and arrested another suspect.
According to a statement by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, intelligence obtained from the arrested suspect led troops to identify the fleeing syndicate commander and locate the group’s concealed arms cache.
The suspect was subsequently tracked and intercepted while allegedly attempting to flee Enugu State.
Ayeni said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect was linked to several kidnapping operations across the South-East and North-Central regions.
Items recovered from him included $1,000, N785,900 in cash and other items considered incriminating, while further intelligence led troops to Umuchingu Ujenike Forest, where the weapons were concealed.
The Army spokesman said the troops recovered four AK-47 rifles, seven AK-47 magazines and 133 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition from the forest hideout.
He added that the arrested suspect was undergoing further interrogation to facilitate follow-up operations aimed at apprehending other members of the syndicate and their collaborators.
The Joint Task Force said it would continue to conduct intelligence-led operations against criminal networks across the South-East in collaboration with other security agencies.
It also assured residents that troops would sustain efforts to disrupt kidnapping and other criminal activities while creating a secure environment for socio-economic activities across the region.
