Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have arrested 18 serving soldiers and 15 police officers for allegedly engaging in the illegal sale of arms to terrorists and other criminal groups operating across the country.
This was disclosed during a press briefing in Maiduguri, Borno State, where the Theatre Commander of OPHK, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, spoke through the Staff Officer in charge of Administration, Major Ademola Owolana.
He explained that the arrests were made as part of “Operation Snowball,” an ongoing military exercise launched in August 2024 to crack down on ammunition racketeering within and beyond the theatre of operations.
According to Major Owolana, the exercise was conducted across 11 states: Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Enugu, Lagos, Plateau, Kaduna, Rivers, Taraba, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In the course of the operation, eight civilians and one traditional ruler were also apprehended in connection with the illicit arms trade.
Among those arrested was one Ameh Raphael, identified as an armourer with the 7th Division Garrison.
He was said to have been involved in the illegal trade since 2018. Investigators found that he had amassed N45 million in his bank account through proceeds from the sale of military-grade weapons.
Another suspect, Seidi Adamu, serving with the 3rd Division Ordnance Services, had reportedly been in the trade since 2022.
He was discovered to have N34 million in his bank account, believed to be linked to arms dealings.
Additionally, the investigation uncovered financial records of one Enoch Ngwa, a serving police inspector, who is also facing allegations of arms racketeering.
It was revealed that a total of N135 million had passed through his account over a period of time, further reinforcing suspicions of his deep involvement in the illicit network.
The military authorities stressed that the operation remains ongoing and vowed that all those found complicit, regardless of their rank or status, will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
