A Special Court-Martial of the Nigerian Army sitting in Maiduguri has sentenced three soldiers to life imprisonment and another to 15 years for illegally selling arms and ammunition to criminals and terrorist groups, in collaboration with rogue police officers.
The ruling was delivered under the leadership of Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi, President of the Court-Martial, and supervised by Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, Acting GOC of 7 Division and Commander of Sector 1, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK).
The judgment took place at the Theatre Command Headquarters Officers’ Mess in Maiduguri.
Those sentenced to life imprisonment include Sergeant Raphael Ameh, Sergeant Ejiga Musa and Lance Corporal Patrick Ocheje
Another soldier, Corporal Omitoye Rufus, was handed a 15-year sentence for lesser but related offences.
Insider Role in Arms Smuggling Uncovered
Sergeant Raphael Ameh, an armourer with the 7 Division Garrison, was found guilty of conspiring with a now-deceased colleague to steal large quantities of ammunition. The stolen arms were smuggled inside bags of beans to Enugu and Ebonyi States, with the help of complicit police officers.
Brigadier General Abdullahi revealed that Ameh’s bank records showed over 100 suspicious transactions from July 2022 to June 2024, linking him to the illicit arms trade.
Cash-for-Guns: Evidence of Financial Transactions
- Sergeant Musa, an armourer with the 195 Battalion, was implicated in the sale of AK-47 rifles and ammunition, working closely with Lance Corporal Ocheje and police officers.
- He reportedly received over ₦500,000 from these deals before being arrested while attempting to sell more rounds.
- Corporal Rufus was convicted for selling 40 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition to a police officer.
- Lance Corporal Ocheje, stationed at the forward operating base in Molai, diverted ammunition during communal clashes and also stole an AK-47 rifle from a fellow soldier.
Army: “They Betrayed the Nation”
The court concluded that the convicted soldiers’ actions posed a direct threat to military operations and endangered national security, amounting to aiding the enemy during a critical time in the nation’s fight against terrorism.
“They are bad eggs who betrayed the trust, discipline, and honour expected of soldiers engaged in the fight against insurgency,” said Brigadier General Abdullahi, adding that the Nigerian Army maintains a zero-tolerance policy on arms trafficking.
The Army has vowed to intensify internal monitoring and maintain accountability in the war against terrorism and organized crime.
