A Special Court Martial of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, Borno State, has sentenced three soldiers to life imprisonment and another to 15 years for involvement in a dangerous arms and ammunition racket that supplied weapons to criminals and militias.
The verdict was delivered on September 18, 2025, at the Headquarters Theatre Command Officers’ Mess in Maiduguri, under the supervision of Acting General Officer, Commanding 7 Division and Commander, Sector 1 Operation HADIN KAI, Brig.-Gen. Ugochukwu Unachukwu.
Presiding officer, Brig.- Gen. Mohammed Abdullahi said the soldiers were found guilty of theft, unlawful dealing in ammunition, and aiding the enemy — offences punishable under the Armed Forces Act, CAP A20 LFN 2004.
Those convicted are Sergeant Raphael Ameh, Sergeant Ejiga Musa, and Lance Corporal Patrick Ocheje, each sentenced to life in prison. Corporal Omitoye Rufus received a 15-year jail term.
Court documents reveal that Sgt. Ameh, while serving as an armourer with 7 Division Garrison, conspired with the late Lance Corporal Ogbogo Isaac and operatives of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) to divert ammunition.
The stolen weapons, often hidden in bags of beans, were trafficked to Enugu and Ebonyi States for criminal use.
Bank records link Ameh to over 100 suspicious transactions between July 2022 and June 2024.
Sgt. Ejiga, an armourer with 195 Battalion, colluded with LCpl. Ocheje and Inspector Francis Manasseh of 30 PMF to sell an AK-47 rifle and large caches of ammunition.
He was caught while attempting another illegal sale to a PMF operative.
Cpl. Omitoye sold 40 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to Inspector Enoch Nwokolobia, while LCpl. Ocheje, deployed at Forward Operating Base Molai, repeatedly stole ammunition and sold it to militias during communal clashes.
He was also indicted for stealing a fellow soldier’s rifle.
Brig.-Gen. Abdullahi described their actions as “a grave betrayal of trust and discipline, a direct threat to national security, and an act of aiding the enemy.”
He warned that the Army would not tolerate such misconduct, which undermines morale and tarnishes its image.
“The Nigerian Army remains committed to accountability, professionalism, and justice.
“Misconduct will be met with stiff sanctions, while gallantry and professionalism will be duly rewarded,” he said.
Reaffirming its zero-tolerance stance on arms diversion, the Army vowed that all personnel who compromise their oath of service would face the full weight of the law.
Source – BarristerNG.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
