Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) troops have arrested 18 serving soldiers and 15 policemen for allegedly selling arms to non-state actors. This was disclosed by Major Ademola Owolana, Staff Officer Grade Two, OPHK, during a briefing to defence correspondents in Maiduguri, detailing the Joint Task Force North-East’s activities from 2024 to 2025.
Major Owolana stated that the arrests were made under “Operation Snowball,” launched in August 2024 to combat ammunition racketeering within the theatre. The operation has extended across 11 states, with suspects apprehended in Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Enugu, Lagos, Plateau, Kaduna, Rivers, Taraba, and the Federal Capital Territory.
“So far, a total of 18 soldiers, 15 mobile policemen, and 8 civilians, including a traditional ruler, have been arrested,” Major Owolana confirmed.
Preliminary investigations suggest that community pressure on security personnel to supply arms for communal conflicts, alongside the lucrative nature of the illegal arms trade, are significant driving factors.
The briefing highlighted specific cases, including Sergeant Ameh Raphael, an armourer of 7th Division Garrison, who has allegedly been involved in the trade since 2018 and has over N45 million in his account. Similarly, Sergeant Seidi Adamu of 3rd Division Ordnance Services, implicated since 2022, has N34 million.
A staggering N135 million was reportedly traced through the account of Inspector Enoch Ngwa, a policeman arrested for arms racketeering.
Major Owolana stressed the need for “more stringent punishment” to deter such activities.
The Theatre Command also reported significant progress against terrorist logistics suppliers and collaborators, with over 186 individuals arrested between January 2025 and the current date.
Concern was raised regarding the proliferation of drugs and narcotics, which enhance terrorist operational capabilities. To counter this, the Joint Intelligence Mission Centre, military intelligence base, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intensified efforts, though a “lack of tracking devices” remains a challenge in apprehending logistics suppliers.
Major Owolana further expressed concern over some non-governmental organizations allegedly conveying “additives and food items to terrorist locations under the guise of humanitarian assistance.” He also lamented the activities of “fifth columnists” undermining OPHK’s success.
“Additionally, a few soldiers motivated by greed are involved in ammunition racketeering, deliberately diverting arms from the military stockpiles and supply chains to terrorists. Such actions erode battlefield morale, reduce troops’ effectiveness, and strengthen enemy resistance,” he stated.
A recent incident on February 24 saw a soldier from the 144 Battalion arrested with 30 rounds of 7.62mm specials in Tashin-Karo, Kano. The Theatre Command has continually warned troops about severe repercussions for ammunition racketeering, noting that those found culpable have been dismissed and handed over to the police.
Highlighting OPHK’s achievements, Major Owolana recalled that in May 2024, a terrorist-issued vacation order led to a mass exodus in Kukawa town. However, OPHK’s subsequent stabilization operation, involving the deployment of excavators and construction of defensive structures, facilitated the return of over 10,000 locals to their homes.
He reported that OPHK troops have killed 694 terrorists, recovered 603 assault weapons, 56 RPG bombs, 16 mortar bombs, 147,137 units of anti-aircraft weapons, and 16 pick-up vehicles, among others.
Regarding drone incidents, the Joint Task Force has recorded over 12 since 2004. As a countermeasure, the Nigerian Army established the Nigerian Army’s Unmanned Aerial Base Command in 2022, which has conducted 1,138 intelligence surveillance reconnaissance missions, totaling 10,033 flight hours.
