In a shocking revelation, the Nigerian Army has confirmed the arrest of 18 Soldiers, 15 Police Officers, and a Traditional Ruler, among others, for their involvement in an expansive arms trafficking syndicate supplying weapons to terrorists and other criminal networks across the country.
The arrests were made during Operation Snowball, a covert exercise launched in August 2024 to dismantle internal arms rackets. According to Major Ademola Owolana, spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), the operation was carried out across 11 states, including Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Enugu, Lagos, Plateau, Kaduna, Rivers, Taraba, and the FCT.
The suspects include:
18 soldiers: Some of whom have been identified as armourers and ordnance personnel, accused of diverting arms from military stockpiles and selling them to terrorists.
15 police officers: Including Inspector Enoch Ngwa, whose account saw transactions totalling N135 million, believed to be proceeds from arms sales to insurgents and bandits.
A traditional ruler: Accused of being involved in the arms trafficking syndicate.
8 civilians: Also arrested for their roles in the illicit trade.
Investigators have traced and recovered over N200 million from various bank accounts linked to the suspects. Some of the notable recoveries include:
N45 million: Traced to Ameh Raphael, an armourer with the 7th Division Garrison, who reportedly had been involved in illegal arms deals since 2018.
N34 million: Traced to Seidi Adamu of the 3rd Division Ordnance Services, who allegedly amassed the funds through the illicit trade.
The operation also uncovered damning allegations against some NGOs, which Owolana accused of ferrying supplies to terrorist enclaves under the guise of humanitarian aid. "There's credible intelligence showing that certain non-governmental organisations are smuggling food and additives to insurgents under humanitarian covers," he added.
All personnel found culpable have been dismissed from service and handed over to the police for prosecution. Major Owolana warned that the arrests would serve as a deterrent to others tempted by the lure of blood money.
The Nigerian military has vowed to pursue the investigation to its logical conclusion, as pressure mounts on defence and security authorities to clean up internal ranks amidst worsening insecurity. This development highlights the need for greater accountability and transparency within the security agencies to prevent such incidents in the future.
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