Troops rescue four kidnap victims, arrest suspected criminal network member in South-East

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

Troops of Operation UDO KA have rescued four kidnap victims in Enugu State and arrested a suspected member of a criminal network in Ebonyi State during ongoing security operations under Operation Eastern Sanity.

According to a statement signed by Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, troops of the 82 Division Garrison deployed at Akama acted on intelligence about a kidnap attempt along the Akama-Iwollo Road in Enugu State on April 28, 2026.

The troops reportedly pursued and engaged the suspects, leading to the rescue of four abducted persons identified as Chisom Kingsley, Chuoke Chinedu, Jonathan Paul Chukwu and Patience John. The victims are from Akama, Akwa Ibom State and Taraba State. A motorcycle and a vehicle were also recovered during the operation andhanded over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation.

In a separate operation in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, troops of Sector 2, Operation UDO KA, arrested a suspect identified as Chisom Agashi Ogadego, also known as Baron, described as a member of the IPOB/ESN criminal network. The arrest followed intelligence obtained after the earlier capture of Chinedu Igautu, also known as Calamity, and four others.

The military said preliminary findings linked the suspect to kidnapping activities in the state. Information provided by the suspect also led troops to recover an AK-47 rifle, magazines and ammunition in Izzi. The Army said the operations reflect ongoing intelligence-led efforts to dismantle criminal groups and improve security across the South-East.