TROOPS NAB SUSPECTS LINKED TO DEADLY AMBUSH, RECOVER STOLEN MILITARY WEAPONS IN DELTA, RIVERS
Troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade under Operation UDOKA have arrested key members of a suspected criminal syndicate linked to the deadly ambush on troops on 4 May 2026, during which one soldier was killed and another sustained gunshot injuries.
The arrests were made during Operation EASTERN SANITY II after weeks of intelligence driven operations aimed at tracking those responsible for the attack and recovering military weapons carted away during the incident.
According to the Nigerian Army, troops, working in collaboration with personnel of the 181 Battalion under 63 Brigade, conducted coordinated raids in Opaebe and Oleh, Delta State, in the early hours of 31 July 2026. The operation led to the arrest of three suspects identified as Chiboy, Marathon, and Onowu, who allegedly fled to Delta State after the ambush.
Military authorities disclosed that the suspects subsequently led troops to hideouts located at Aggah Plantation, Ekpeaggah, Rivers State, and Umudike Plantation, where the stolen service weapons and other firearms were concealed.
Items recovered during the operation included one stolen AK 47 rifle with two magazines and one FN rifle with two magazines belonging to the military. Troops also recovered three additional AK 47 rifles with nine magazines, pistols with magazines, 194 rounds of 7.62 millimetre Special ammunition, and 45 rounds of 7.62 millimetre NATO ammunition.
Other recovered items included military camouflage uniforms, jungle hats, a fragment protection jacket, an empty first aid box, and five mobile phones believed to be connected to the activities of the syndicate.
The suspects are in military custody and are expected to face prosecution after the conclusion of investigations.
The Headquarters Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDOKA, said the operation demonstrates the commitment of the Armed Forces and collaborating security agencies to dismantling criminal networks and sustaining ongoing peace building efforts across the South East and adjoining areas.
