A Nigerian Army Special Court-Martial has sentenced three soldiers to life imprisonment and a fourth to 15 years for illegal arms trafficking and aiding armed groups in the Nigeria’s conflict-ridden northeast.
7 Division’s Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna Mohammed Sani, on Tuesday said the four soldiers were found guilty of stealing and selling military-grade weapons and ammunition, with some items allegedly smuggled across state lines hidden in bags of food.
The court, convened by Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander, Sector 1 Operation HADIN KAI, found the four soldiers guilty of a range of offences, including theft of military weapons, unlawful dealings in ammunition, and aiding the enemy.
The verdict was delivered on 18 September 2025 at the Headquarters Theatre Command Officers’ Mess, Maiduguri, by the president of the Court Martial, Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi.
Sgt Raphael Ameh, Sgt Ejiga Musa, and LCpl Patrick Ocheje were sentenced to life imprisonment, while Cpl Omitoye Rufus received a 15-year jail term.
According to the reports, all four soldiers had pleaded guilty to multiple charges punishable under the Armed Forces Act, CAP A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
In Sgt Ameh’s case, the court admitted documentary evidence showing that he, 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 alongside Inspector Francis Ajayi and Inspector Francis Manasseh of the 30 Police Mobile Force to smuggle arms concealed in bags of beans to Enugu and Ebonyi States for use by criminal elements. The court also revealed that Sgt Ameh received the proceeds of the illicit trade through more than 100 bank transactions between July 2022 and June 2024.
The statement noted that Sgt Ejiga Musa, the main armourer at 195 Battalion, was found guilty of stealing weapons and collaborating with LCpl Ocheje and Inspector Manasseh to sell AK-47 rifles and a large quantity of ammunition. He reportedly received over ₦500,000 from the illegal sales.
“Sgt Ejiga met his Waterloo when he attempted to sell ammunition to Inspector Francis Ajayi,” Brig Gen Abdullahi stated.
In the same vein, Cpl Omitoye Rufus was convicted of selling 40 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to Inspector Enoch Nwokolobia, while LCpl Patrick Ocheje, deployed at Forward Operating Base Molai, was found to have been persuaded by Inspector Manasseh to pilfer ammunition and supply it to militias engaged in communal violence.
Further investigations revealed that LCpl Ocheje received 20 rounds of PKT ammunition from Sgt Ejiga for resale to terrorist groups. He was also found guilty of stealing an AK-47 rifle from a fellow soldier.
The court ruled that the soldiers’ actions “directly endanger troops, imperil military operations, and threaten national security”, thereby constituting the offence of aiding the enemy, adding that, “the activities of these bad eggs are not only a violation of the law but a betrayal of the trust, discipline and honour expected of troops in the theatre,” said Brig Gen Abdullahi.
The statement further reiterated the Nigerian Army’s zero tolerance for misconduct, stating that such acts “erode discipline, undermine morale and bring the service into disrepute”.
The Army reaffirmed its commitment to justice and professionalism, adding that internal investigations and disciplinary actions would continue as part of its efforts to build public trust.
Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi also warned that the selling of ammunition to adversaries, “in whatever guise or form”, would be met with the full weight of military law.
