A special court-martial of the Nigerian Army has convicted and sentenced four soldiers for illegal arms trade and aiding terrorists in the north-east, a verdict military authorities say underscores their zero-tolerance stance on betrayal within the ranks.
The trial, convened by Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander of Sector 1, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), was held at the Officers’ Mess, Theatre Command Headquarters in Maiduguri.
Delivering judgment, Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi, President of the court-martial, handed life sentences to Sergeant Raphael Ameh, Sergeant Ejiga Musa, and Lance Corporal Patrick Ocheje. Corporal Omitoye Rufus received a 15-year jail term.
The soldiers were found guilty of offences ranging from theft and unlawful dealing in ammunition to aiding the enemy — crimes punishable under the Armed Forces Act.
Ameh, an armourer at 7 Division Garrison, conspired with a late colleague to steal ammunition from the armoury. Investigations revealed that he collaborated with police officers to conceal weapons in bags of beans, transporting them to Enugu and Ebonyi for criminal use. Bank records showed over 100 suspicious transactions between July 2022 and June 2024.
Musa, armourer of 195 Battalion, worked with Ocheje and police officers to sell an AK-47 rifle and ammunition, collecting more than ₦500,000. He was arrested while attempting another sale.
Rufus admitted to selling 40 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition to a police officer.
Ocheje, deployed at Forward Operating Base Molai, diverted ammunition during communal clashes at the urging of a police officer and also stole a colleague’s AK-47 rifle.
The court ruled that their actions directly endangered military operations and national security, amounting to “aiding the enemy.”
Condemning the soldiers as “bad eggs,” Abdullahi said they betrayed the trust, discipline, and honour expected of the Nigerian Army in its counter-insurgency operations.
He reaffirmed the military’s resolve to stamp out any collusion that undermines the fight against insurgency, stressing that the army would not tolerate the sale of arms or ammunition “in whatever form or guise.”
Leave feedback about this