By Deborah Nnamdi
A Special Court Martial (SCM) convened by the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division Nigerian Army and Commander Sector 1, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, has sentenced four soldiers to various jail terms for offences bordering on arms and ammunition racketeering as well as aiding and abetting the enemy.
Delivering judgment at the Headquarters Theatre Command Officers’ Mess in Maiduguri, the President of the Court, Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi, announced that the tribunal convicted Sergeant Raphael Ameh, Sergeant Ejiga Musa, and Lance Corporal Patrick Ocheje, sentencing them to life imprisonment. Corporal Omitoye Rufus was handed a 15-year jail term after they all pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including theft, unlawful dealing in ammunition, offences relating to service property, and aiding the enemy—all punishable under the Armed Forces Act (AFA), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, CAP A20, 2004.
According to the court, documentary evidence revealed that Sgt. Ameh, while serving as an armourer with 7 Division Garrison, conspired with the late LCpl Ogbogo Isaac to steal ammunition from the Division’s arms store. He was found to have worked with some operatives of the 30 Police Mobile Force (PMF), including Inspector Francis Ajayi and Francis Manasseh, to conceal weapons in bags of beans and smuggle them to Enugu and Ebonyi States for use by criminal gangs. Bank records showed that Ameh received proceeds of the illicit trade through more than 100 transactions between July 2022 and June 2024.
In a similar vein, Sgt. Musa, while serving as the main armourer at 195 Battalion, collaborated with LCpl Ocheje and Inspector Manasseh to sell an AK-47 rifle and large quantities of ammunition. He reportedly received over ₦500,000 before being caught attempting to sell more ammunition to Inspector Ajayi.
The court also heard that Cpl. Rufus sold 40 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition to Inspector Enoch Nwokolobia. For his part, LCpl. Ocheje, deployed at Forward Operating Base Molai, was persuaded by Inspector Manasseh to steal ammunition later sold to armed militias during communal clashes. He also received 20 rounds of PKT ammunition from Sgt. Musa for resale to terrorists and was found guilty of stealing an AK-47 rifle belonging to a fellow soldier.
Brig. Gen. Abdullahi, while pronouncing the verdict, condemned the actions of the convicted soldiers, stressing that their activities endangered troops, compromised military operations, and undermined national security.
“The activities of these bad eggs are not only violations of the law but also betrayals of the trust, discipline, and honor expected of troops in the theatre,” he declared.
He reiterated the Nigerian Army’s zero-tolerance policy for gross misconduct, fraudulent practices, and unprofessional conduct, warning that such acts erode discipline, damage morale, and bring the service into disrepute.
“The Nigerian Army remains committed to accountability and justice. This court-martial demonstrates our resolve to punish wrongdoing while promoting professionalism and fostering public trust,” Abdullahi said.
The court’s ruling underscores the Army’s renewed determination to clamp down on internal sabotage and enforce strict discipline within its ranks.
