The Nigerian Army has sentenced four of its personnel after a Special Court Martial in Maiduguri, Borno State, convicted them of running an arms trafficking operation that aided criminals and militias across the country.
Sentences Handed Down
The court, led by Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi, declared that three soldiers would serve life imprisonment while another was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Convicted soldiers include Sgt. Raphael Ameh, Sgt. Ejiga Musa, and LCpl. Patrick Ocheje (all sentenced to life terms) and Cpl. Omitoye Rufus (15 years).
Arms Trafficking Operations
Investigations uncovered how Ameh, while working as an armourer with the 7 Division Garrison, conspired with late LCpl. Ogbogo Isaac and PMF operatives to secretly transport arms concealed in beans sacks to Enugu and Ebonyi States.
Ejiga, also an armourer, worked with Ocheje and Inspector Francis Manasseh of the 30 PMF to sell firearms, including an AK-47 rifle, to unauthorized buyers.
Omitoye was caught selling ammunition to Inspector Enoch Nwokolobia. Ocheje was implicated in supplying militias with stolen rounds and weapons during local conflicts, in addition to stealing a fellow soldier’s rifle.
Army’s Position
Brig. Gen. Abdullahi denounced the acts as “a grave betrayal of trust and discipline, a direct threat to national security, and an act of aiding the enemy.”
The Army stressed its commitment to discipline, warning that it would enforce strict sanctions against erring personnel while rewarding professionalism.