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Troops of Sector 4, Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDO KA (OPUK), have recorded another operational success after raiding a suspected criminal hideout in Rivers State and recovering weapons and ammunition during an intelligence-led operation.
The Nigerian Army said the operation was carried out in the early hours of July 23, 2026, at Awara Community Waterside in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area and along the Omoku–Ogbaku–Ndoni axis, targeting a forest enclave allegedly used by criminal gangs as a base for planning kidnappings and attacks on security personnel and civilians.
According to the Army, the troops acted on credible intelligence before storming the hideout, where they recovered one Lee-Enfield MK I rifle, one G3 rifle, 116 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition and 13 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition. It added that clearance operations are continuing to flush out remaining criminal elements from the area.
The military described the recovery as the fourth successful seizure of illegal arms and ammunition by troops in the South-East within the last two weeks, attributing the success to sustained intelligence-driven operations and improved collaboration with other security agencies and members of the public.
The Army said the sustained offensive has continued to weaken criminal networks by denying them safe havens and reducing their capacity to threaten lives, property and public safety across the region.
Reaffirming its commitment to restoring lasting peace and security, the Nigerian Army urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remains vital to ongoing efforts to eliminate criminality and ensure stability in the South-East and adjoining areas.
