An intelligence-led military operation has led to the recovery of the remains of a community leader allegedly murdered by a criminal gang in Imo State, marking another breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown on violent criminal networks in the South-East.
According to an official statement signed by Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Headquarters 82 Division Nigerian Army, troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade operating under Operation UDO KA and the ongoing Operation EASTERN SANITY II successfully located and exhumed the remains of the late Chief Ibe Anyadu of Aggah Community from a shallow grave hidden inside the Umudike Forest.
The operation followed recent intelligence-driven raids that resulted in the arrest of suspects linked to the killing of a Nigerian Army soldier and the recovery of stolen service weapons. During interrogation, one of the suspects reportedly confessed to participating in the murder of Chief Anyadu and volunteered to lead troops to the burial site.
Acting on the intelligence, troops on August 2, 2026, moved into the forest where the suspect identified a shallow grave within one of the criminal gang’s camps. The remains of the late community leader were subsequently exhumed.
The Army said the exercise was carried out in the presence of the deceased’s family members, vigilante personnel from Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, and representatives of the Aggah and Umudike communities. The family provided a coffin and an ambulance to facilitate a dignified burial in accordance with local customs and traditions.
Commander of the Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDO KA, Major General Oluremi Ayobami Fadairo, sympathised with the bereaved family and assured them that justice would be pursued through lawful means. He said the suspects would be prosecuted in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The military described the recovery as part of its broader peace-building efforts in the South-East, reaffirming its resolve to dismantle criminal networks, bring perpetrators of violent crimes to justice and provide closure for victims’ families.
It also urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information, noting that actionable intelligence remains critical to the success of ongoing security operations across the region.
