Troops of Operation UDO KA of the Nigerian Army have exhumed the remains of a community leader allegedly murdered by a criminal gang in Imo State after an arrested suspect led security operatives to a shallow grave concealed deep inside a forest.
The grim discovery was made during an intelligence-driven operation conducted by troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade under Operation UDO KA as part of the ongoing Operation EASTERN SANITY II, marking another breakthrough in the military’s campaign against violent criminal networks in the South-East.
The victim, identified as Chief Ibe Anyadu of Aggah Community, was allegedly abducted and murdered by the gang before being secretly buried in Umudike Forest, which the Army described as one of the syndicate’s operational camps.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 82 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, the Army disclosed that the breakthrough followed the recent arrest of suspects linked to the killing of a Nigerian Army soldier and the recovery of stolen military weapons.
According to the statement, one of the suspects confessed during interrogation to participating in the murder of Chief Anyadu and subsequently volunteered to lead troops to the location where the victim’s body had been buried.
On August 2, 2026, the suspect guided soldiers into Umudike Forest, where they uncovered and exhumed the remains from a shallow grave hidden within the gang’s alleged hideout.
The solemn recovery exercise was witnessed by members of the deceased’s family, vigilante operatives from Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, and representatives of both the Aggah and Umudike communities.
Following the exhumation, Chief Anyadu’s family provided a coffin and an ambulance to transport the remains for a dignified burial in accordance with their cultural traditions.
Reacting to the development, the Commander of Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDO KA, Major General Oluremi Ayobami Fadairo, extended his condolences to the bereaved family and assured them that every individual connected to the gruesome killing would be brought before the law.
He reaffirmed the military’s resolve to ensure that justice is served in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Nigerian Army reiterated that ongoing security operations across the South-East are focused on dismantling criminal enclaves, recovering illegal weapons, apprehending perpetrators of violent crimes, and restoring lasting peace to communities long terrorised by armed gangs.
It also urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible intelligence, stressing that public cooperation remains indispensable to the success of ongoing operations and the restoration of security across the region.