Troops of the 82 Division Nigerian Army, operating under Joint Task Force Operation UDO KA, have recovered four AK-47 rifles, seven magazines and 133 rounds of ammunition from a forest in Enugu State following the arrest of an alleged commander of a kidnapping syndicate.
The suspect was arrested during an intelligence-led operation in the Gariki General Area while allegedly attempting to flee the state, according to Olabisi Olalekan, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 82 Division.
The operation followed the August 2 abduction of two persons in Udi Local Government Area, during which troops reportedly neutralised one suspected member of the syndicate and arrested another.
The Nigerian Army said the arrested suspect subsequently led troops to a location in the Umuchingu forest where the weapons cache was discovered.
In addition to the arms and ammunition, troops recovered $1,000, N785,000 and other items described by the Army as incriminating.
The Army said preliminary investigations had linked the arrested suspect to several kidnapping operations across the South-East and North-Central regions.
It said interrogation of the suspect was ongoing as troops intensified efforts to identify and arrest other members and alleged collaborators of the syndicate.
The latest operation forms part of the military’s continued efforts to extend security operations into forest areas believed to be used as hideouts by criminal groups in the region.
