Troops of the 82 Division/Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, working with the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested a suspected commander of a kidnapping syndicate in Enugu State.
The operation also led to the recovery of four AK-47 rifles, seven magazines and 133 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition from a forest hideout allegedly used by the criminal group.
The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Lt. Col. Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
According to Ayeni, the suspect was captured during an intelligence-driven operation in the Gariki General Area of Enugu as troops intensified efforts to dismantle a syndicate allegedly linked to the abduction of two people in Udi Local Government Area on August 2.
The operation followed an earlier encounter in which troops “neutralised one member of the syndicate and apprehended another.
The Army said information obtained from the arrested suspect helped security operatives identify the alleged syndicate commander and launch a manhunt for him.
“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.
Preliminary investigations, according to the Army, have linked the suspect to several kidnapping operations across the South-East and North-Central regions.
Security operatives also recovered US$1,000, N785,900 and other items described by the Army as incriminating during the operation.
Further intelligence reportedly led troops to the Umuchingu Ujenike Forest, where the syndicate was allegedly keeping its weapons.
“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 statement said.
The suspect remains in custody for further interrogation, with the Army saying information obtained during questioning could help investigators identify and apprehend other members of the syndicate and their alleged collaborators.
The military said Operation UDO KA would continue working with other security agencies to sustain operations against criminal networks across the South-East.
The latest operation formed part of ongoing efforts by security forces to disrupt kidnapping networks and prevent further attacks in the region.
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