A Special Court Martial (SCM) convened by the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Nigerian Army and Sector 1, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, has sentenced four soldiers to various prison terms for arms and ammunition racketeering, aiding and abetting the enemy, and related offences.

Delivering judgment at the Headquarters Theatre Command Officers’ Mess, Maiduguri, on 18 September 2025, the President of the Court, Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi, announced that Sergeants Raphael Ameh and Ejiga Musa, alongside Lance Corporal Patrick Ocheje, were sentenced to life imprisonment. Corporal Omitoye Rufus received a 15-year jail term. The soldiers were convicted after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including theft, unlawful dealing in ammunition, offences relating to service property, and aiding the enemy—offences punishable under the Armed Forces Act (AFA), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, CAP A20 2004, and other extant laws.

Court records revealed that Sgt. Raphael Ameh, while serving as an armourer with 7 Division Garrison, conspired with the late Lance Corporal Ogbogo Isaac to steal ammunition from the Division’s armoury. Evidence showed that he worked with police operatives, Inspector Francis Ajayi and Francis Manasseh of the 30 Police Mobile Force (PMF), to conceal weapons in bags of beans and smuggle them to Enugu and Ebonyi States for use by criminals. Bank statements indicated that Sgt. Ameh received proceeds from the illicit trade through more than 100 transactions between July 2022 and June 2024.

Similarly, Sgt. Ejiga Musa, then armourer of 195 Battalion, was found guilty of collaborating with LCpl Ocheje and Inspector Manasseh to sell an AK-47 rifle and large quantities of ammunition. Records showed that he collected over ₦500,000 from the illegal sales before being apprehended while attempting to sell ammunition to Inspector Ajayi.

Cpl. Omitoye Rufus was convicted for selling 40 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition to Inspector Enoch Nwokolobia, while LCpl. Ocheje was found guilty of conspiring with Inspector Manasseh to divert ammunition during a communal crisis. He also received 20 rounds of PKT ammunition from Sgt. Ejiga for sale to terrorists and was further indicted for stealing an AK-47 rifle from a fellow soldier.

The Court held that their actions endangered troops, undermined military operations, and directly aided the enemy. Brigadier General Abdullahi stressed that the convicts had betrayed the trust, discipline, and honour expected of Nigerian Army personnel, describing them as “bad eggs” whose actions threatened national security.

The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its zero tolerance for misconduct, corruption, and unprofessional practices, stressing that such behaviour erodes discipline, damages morale, and tarnishes the image of the service. The Army restated its commitment to accountability and professionalism through strict enforcement of military laws, promising continued efforts to uphold discipline and strengthen public confidence in the institution.

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