Four Nigerian Army personnel have been sentenced to varying prison terms by a military court martial in Maiduguri for their involvement in illegal arms and ammunition trafficking operations spanning Borno, Enugu and Ebonyi states.
The Nigerian Army Court Martial, presiding in Borno State’s capital, handed down life sentences to three soldiers whilst imposing a 15-year jail term on a fourth for their roles in weapons smuggling activities that compromised national security.
Sergeants Raphael Ameh and Ejiga Musa, alongside Lance Corporal Patrick Ocheje, received life imprisonment sentences, whilst Corporal Omitoye Rufus was sentenced to 15 years behind bars.
Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi, who presided over the trial, delivered the verdict after examining extensive evidence against the convicted personnel.
“Based on the evidence before this Court, Sergeants Raphael Ameh and Ejiga Musa, and Lance Corporal Patrick Ocheje are sentenced to life imprisonment, while Corporal Omitoye Rufus is sentenced to 15 years in prison,” General Abdullahi declared.
Military prosecutors revealed that Sergeant Ameh, who served as an announcer with the 7 Division Garrison, had orchestrated a sophisticated weapons diversion scheme alongside the deceased Lance Corporal Ogbogo Isaac and other accomplices. The investigation uncovered how stolen military weapons were systematically removed from the Division’s armoury and concealed within bags of beans for transportation.
The smuggled weapons were subsequently transported to Enugu and Ebonyi states, where they were sold to criminal elements operating in those regions. Authorities discovered that the proceeds from these illegal transactions were laundered through an extensive network involving more than 100 separate banking transactions.
Sergeant Ejiga, who previously served with the 195th Battalion, faced conviction for his role in selling AK-47 assault rifles to militant groups and terrorist organisations. The court heard evidence of his collaboration with corrupt security operatives who facilitated these transactions.
The investigation also revealed Corporal Omitoye’s involvement in selling 40 rounds of military ammunition to a serving police officer, whilst Lance Corporal Ocheje was found guilty of directly supplying rifles and ammunition to known terrorist groups operating in the region.
General Abdullahi condemned the actions of the convicted soldiers, emphasising how their criminal activities had directly endangered the lives of serving military personnel and undermined ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
“The activities of these bad eggs are a violation of the law and a grievous stain on the military uniform,” the presiding judge stated firmly.
He explained that such criminal conduct not only strengthened adversaries on the front lines but also eroded military morale and weakened the disciplinary structure essential for effective operations.
The court martial emphasised that the Nigerian Army maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct, corruption and any form of collaboration with enemies of the state. General Abdullahi warned that such betrayals of trust threatened national security and Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
The judge reaffirmed the military’s unwavering commitment to maintaining accountability and professionalism within its ranks, whilst pledging to uphold strict disciplinary standards to preserve public confidence in the armed forces.
