Troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade under the Joint Task Force (JTF) South East, Operation UDO KA, have arrested a suspected key armourer and logistics courier linked to attacks on oil installations and security personnel in Imo State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Nigerian Army disclosed the development in a statement posted on its official X handle on Thursday, saying the operation also led to the recovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition.
According to the Army, the intelligence-led operation was carried out in the early hours of Tuesday, July 1, 2026, along the Akpe Aggah–Egbema Forest axis. The suspect was arrested during a search-and-raid operation at Obiakpu Forest in the Ohaji–Egbema area of Imo State.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect allegedly served as the principal armourer and logistics coordinator for a criminal group responsible for attacks on oil installations and troops operating in the Ohaji–Egbema axis.
During the operation, troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, one M4A1 carbine, one M16A2 rifle, six magazines, five pump-action guns, a locally fabricated pistol and a large quantity of assorted ammunition.
The Army described the seizure as a significant setback for the group’s operations.
“The recovery represents a major disruption to the group’s operational capability and logistics chain,” the statement said.
The Army added that the suspect remains in custody and is undergoing further investigation to support follow-up operations aimed at identifying, arresting and dismantling other members and collaborators of the criminal network.
Reaffirming its commitment to tackling insecurity in the South East, the Nigerian Army said it would continue sustained operations against criminal elements threatening national security and critical economic assets.
It also urged members of the public to support security agencies by providing timely, credible and actionable intelligence through established security channels.
