KIDNAP KINGPIN APPREHENDED IN ENUGU, RIFLES, CASH RECOVERED
Read Time:2 Minute, 11 Second
BY JENN NOMAMIUKOR
Troops from the 82 Division and Joint Task Force South East, along with people from the Department of State Services, caught a man who is thought to be the leader of a group that takes people illegally.They also found four AK-47 guns, seven magazines, and 133 bullets in a hiding place in a forest in Enugu State.
This news was shared in a statement made on Monday by Lt.
Col.Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, who is the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army.
Ayeni explained that the man was caught during a planned operation in the Gariki General Area of Enugu State.
This was part of an effort to stop a group that was connected to the kidnapping of two people in Udi Local Government Area on August 2, 2026.
He also said that this arrest came after a previous operation where soldiers dealt with one person from the group and captured another.
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.
“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.
The Army said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect was linked to several kidnapping activities across the South-East and North-Central regions.
It added that US$1,000, N785,900 in cash and other incriminating items were recovered from the suspect.
Further intelligence from the suspects led troops to Umuchingu Ujenike Forest, where members of the syndicate had allegedly concealed their weapons.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
“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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