Soldiers Jailed Over Illegal Sale of Military Weapons

A Special Court-Martial of the Nigerian Army has sentenced three soldiers to life imprisonment and a fourth to 15 years in jail for illegal arms trafficking and aiding armed groups in the country’s insurgency-plagued northeast.

Lieutenant Colonel Haruna Mohammed Sani, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of 7 Division, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the convicted soldiers were found guilty of stealing and selling military-grade weapons and ammunition, some of which were smuggled across state lines concealed in bags of food.

The court, presided over by Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi and convened by Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander, Sector 1, Operation HADIN KAI, delivered its verdict on September 18, 2025, at the Headquarters Theatre Command Officers’ Mess, Maiduguri.

Those convicted are Sergeant Raphael Ameh, Sergeant Ejiga Musa, and Lance Corporal Patrick Ocheje, who were sentenced to life imprisonment, while Corporal Omitoye Rufus received a 15-year jail term.

All four soldiers pleaded guilty to multiple charges punishable under the Armed Forces Act, CAP A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

According to court findings, Sgt. Ameh, an armourer with 7 Division Garrison, conspired with the late LCpl. Ogbogo Isaac to steal ammunition from the division’s armoury. He reportedly collaborated with two police officers, Inspector Francis Ajayi and Inspector Francis Manasseh of the 30 Police Mobile Force, to smuggle weapons concealed in bags of beans to Enugu and Ebonyi States.

Brig Gen Abdullahi revealed that Sgt. Ameh conducted more than 100 suspicious bank transactions between July 2022 and June 2024 from the proceeds of the illegal trade.

Similarly, Sgt. Ejiga Musa, who served as the main armourer at 195 Battalion, was found guilty of stealing AK-47 rifles and ammunition which he sold with the help of LCpl. Ocheje and Inspector Manasseh. “Sgt. Ejiga met his Waterloo when he attempted to sell ammunition to Inspector Francis Ajayi,” Brig Gen Abdullahi said, adding that Musa received over ₦500,000 from the illegal deals.

Cpl. Omitoye Rufus was convicted for selling 40 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to Inspector Enoch Nwokolobia, while LCpl. Patrick Ocheje was found guilty of supplying ammunition to militias involved in communal violence after receiving 20 rounds of PKT ammunition from Sgt. Ejiga.

The court described their actions as “a grave betrayal of trust, discipline, and honour expected of Nigerian troops,” stressing that their offences “directly endanger troops, imperil military operations, and threaten national security.”

Brig Gen Abdullahi reaffirmed that the Nigerian Army has zero tolerance for acts of misconduct, stressing that such crimes “erode discipline, undermine morale, and bring the service into disrepute.”

He warned that anyone caught selling ammunition or collaborating with adversaries would face the full weight of military law, as the Army continues internal investigations to ensure accountability, professionalism, and public trust in the service.