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Sustained operations by troops of the 82 Division/Joint Task Force South East under Operation UDO KA (OPUK) have forced members of a militant group to surrender their arms.
The Army said the development marked another operational breakthrough under Operation UDO KA, its ongoing counterinsurgency campaign in the region, adding that the latest recoveries reflected the impact of sustained pressure on criminal groups.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Army said troops of the 82 Division and Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, achieved the breakthrough through a combination of offensive operations and intelligence-driven missions.
“The Nigerian Army has recorded another significant operational breakthrough in the South East as sustained offensive operations by troops of 82 Division/Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA (OPUK), compelled members of a militant group to voluntarily surrender arms, while separate intelligence-led operations resulted in the recovery of additional weapons and an Improvised Explosive Device (IED),” the statement read.
According to the Army, the breakthrough followed sustained operations by troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade and the recent arrest of suspects linked to the killing of a soldier.
It said the intensified military campaign forced members of the militant group operating around Egbema and neighbouring communities to abandon their weapons.
“Unable to withstand the relentless military offensive, members of a militant group operating within Egbema and its environs voluntarily began surrendering their weapons,” the Army said.
The military added that one of the arrested suspects led security personnel to the group’s weapons cache.
“One of the suspects who disclosed the location where the group’s weapons had been concealed and hidden, led the security team to exhume the site.”
Items recovered from the location included one AK-47 rifle, two AK-47 magazines, 54 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition and four locally fabricated firearms.
In a separate operation, troops of Sector 5 of Operation UDO KA, acting on intelligence, recovered two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), 45 rounds of 7.62mm x 51 ammunition and one improvised explosive device.
The Army said the operation further denied criminal elements the means to carry out attacks in the region.
It described the voluntary surrender of weapons as evidence that its combined military and community engagement strategy was producing results.
“The Nigerian Army assesses the voluntary surrender of arms as clear evidence that sustained operational pressure, reinforced by strategic engagement initiatives and collaboration with other security agencies, is yielding tangible results by compelling criminal elements to abandon violence and renounce their criminal activities,” the statement said.
The Army said it would sustain ongoing operations until armed groups operating in the South East are dismantled.
“The Army remains resolute in sustaining the current operational momentum until all criminal networks are dismantled and enduring peace and stability are fully restored across the South East,” it added.
The military also appealed to residents to continue supporting security agencies with credible intelligence, saying public cooperation remained critical to improving security and consolidating recent operational gains.
MILITANTS IN SOUTH EAST BOW TO TROOPS’ PRESSURE, SURRENDER ARMS AS ADDITIONAL WEAPONS ARE RECOVERED
The Nigerian Army has recorded another significant operational breakthrough in the South East as sustained offensive operations by troops of 82 Division/Joint Task Force South… pic.twitter.com/C59OopOdUe
— Nigerian Army (@HQNigerianArmy) August 2, 2026
