Troops of the 82 Division/Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested a suspected commander of a kidnapping syndicate in Enugu State.
The troops also recovered four AK-47 rifles, seven magazines and 133 rounds of ammunition from a forest hideout.
The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Lt. Col. Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
He said the suspect was arrested during an intelligence-led operation in the Gariki General Area of Enugu, following efforts to dismantle a syndicate linked to the abduction of two persons in Udi LGA on August 2.
Ayeni said the operation followed an earlier encounter in which troops ‘neutralised one member of the syndicate and apprehended another.’
He said information obtained from the arrested suspect led to the identification and arrest of the fleeing commander.
‘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.
The Army said preliminary investigations linked the suspect to several kidnapping activities across the South-East and North-Central regions.
It said US$1,000, N785,900 and other incriminating items were also recovered from him.
Further intelligence led troops to Umuchingu Ujenike Forest, where the syndicate allegedly concealed 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 Army said the suspect was undergoing further interrogation to assist in apprehending other members and their collaborators.
It added that Operation UDO KA would continue working with other security agencies to sustain operations against criminal elements in the South-East.