Military arrests 18 soldiers, 15 MOPOL, monarch for supplying arms to terrorsists

The Nigerian military has arrested 41 individuals—including 18 soldiers, 15 mobile policemen, and 8 civilians, among them a traditional ruler—for allegedly supplying arms and ammunition to terrorists.

The arrests were made under Operation Hadin Kai, as part of a wider crackdown on ammunition racketeering in the country’s northeast and beyond.

Major-General Abdulsalam Abubakar, Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, confirmed the development and warned that the situation is worsened by foreign mercenaries reportedly training Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in the region.

This revelation follows a recent alarm raised by Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, who accused some military officers and politicians of acting as informants and collaborators for terrorists amid a renewed wave of attacks in the state.

Speaking in Maiduguri during a briefing to defence correspondents, Major Ademola Owolana, Staff Officer Grade Two of OPHK, said the arrests were made under Operation Snowball, launched in August 2024 to dismantle ammunition trafficking networks across 11 states.

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The suspects were apprehended in Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Enugu, Lagos, Plateau, Kaduna, Rivers, Taraba, and the Federal Capital Territory.

Owolana noted that community pressure and the financial allure of illegal arms trading were among the main drivers behind the involvement of security personnel.

He cited the arrest of two military armourers—Sgt. Ameh Raphael of the 7 Division Garrison and Sgt. Seidi Adamu of the 3rd Division Ordnance Services—who had amassed N45 million and N34 million respectively through the illicit trade.

Further investigations uncovered that a police inspector, Enoch Ngwa, had N135 million in his account linked to arms racketeering.

“These acts of betrayal by a few greedy personnel not only endanger national security but also lower troop morale and embolden enemy forces,” Owolana said.

He added that suspects have been dismissed and handed over to law enforcement for prosecution.

The most recent case involved a soldier from the 144 Battalion caught with 30 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition during a military checkpoint search operation in Kano on February 24, 2025.

Owolana emphasized the military’s zero-tolerance policy for ammunition diversion and warned that severe penalties await those found guilty.