Troops of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested a suspected commander of a kidnapping syndicate in Enugu State and recovered four AK-47 rifles, seven magazines and 133 rounds of ammunition.
The operation was carried out by troops of the 82 Division/Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, as part of intensified efforts to dismantle a kidnapping network allegedly responsible for a series of abductions across the region.
The suspect was arrested during an intelligence-led operation in the Gariki General Area of Enugu while security forces were tracking members of the syndicate allegedly linked to the abduction of two persons in Udi Local Government Area on August 2.
The Army said an earlier operation had resulted in the death of one suspected member of the group and the arrest of another suspect. Information obtained during preliminary interrogation subsequently helped security operatives identify the alleged syndicate commander and launch a manhunt for him.
The suspect was eventually tracked down and arrested while attempting to flee Enugu State.
Preliminary investigations, according to the Army, have linked the suspect to several kidnapping operations across the South-East and North-Central regions.
Security personnel also recovered US$1,000, N785,900 and other items believed to be connected to the syndicate’s activities.
Further intelligence gathered during the operation led troops to Umuchingu Ujenike Forest, where the group allegedly concealed its weapons.
A search of the forest hideout yielded four AK-47 rifles, seven AK-47 magazines and 133 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, dealing a significant blow to the suspected kidnapping network.
The arrested suspect remains in custody and is undergoing further interrogation as security agencies work to identify other alleged members of the syndicate and their collaborators.
The Army said Operation UDO KA would continue its joint operations with other security agencies to disrupt kidnapping networks and other criminal activities across the South-East.
The latest operation comes amid continued security efforts in the region, where coordinated intelligence gathering and joint military-police operations have increasingly been used to target kidnapping and other violent-crime networks.
