TROOPS ARREST 33 SECURITY PERSONNEL FOR ALLEGED ARMS SALES TO TERRORISTS IN NORTH-EAST
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have arrested 33 security personnel — comprising 18 soldiers and 15 police officers — for allegedly engaging in arms trafficking and supplying weapons to terrorists and criminal groups operating in Nigeria’s North-East.
The arrests were made under “Operation Snowball,” a targeted initiative launched in August 2024 to crack down on ammunition racketeering within the theatre of operations.
Briefing journalists in Maiduguri on Saturday, the Theatre Commander, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, represented by Major Ademola Owolana, Staff Officer for Administration, revealed that the sting operation was carried out across 11 states, including Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Enugu, Lagos, Plateau, Kaduna, Rivers, Taraba, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In addition to the security officers, eight civilians and a traditional ruler were also arrested in connection with the illegal arms trade.
Among the high-profile suspects is Ameh Raphael, an armourer with the 7th Division Garrison, who has reportedly been involved in the illicit trade since 2018. Authorities disclosed that N45 million was found in his bank account. Another suspect, Seidi Adamu of the 3rd Division Ordnance Services, who allegedly joined the racket in 2022, had N34 million in his account.
The investigation also uncovered that N135 million had passed through the bank account of Enoch Ngwa, a police inspector implicated in the arms trafficking network.
Major Owolana emphasized that the ongoing crackdown reflects the Nigerian military’s commitment to rooting out internal saboteurs and dismantling criminal networks that threaten national security.
The suspects are currently undergoing further investigation, with the military vowing to prosecute all individuals found culpable, regardless of rank or affiliation.
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