DSS arraigns suspects over murder of four military personnel

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested two suspects in connection with the k!lling of four soldiers in Ashaka Aboh, Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State, three years after the attack.

The suspects, identified as Ufuoma Sunday James and Lawrence Umuakpero Oboguayivwgue, are also alleged to have been involved in the beheading of Chief Okwudili Obi, also known as Odumodu, during a communal crisis in 2023.

In February 2023, military personnel deployed on a peacekeeping mission amid clashes between the Kwale and Asemoku communities in Ndokwa East LGA were ambushed by gunmen. The attack led to the de@ths of four soldiers, and their weapons were reportedly taken.

Security sources said the ambush was allegedly led by James. Acting on what officials described as credible intelligence, DSS operatives apprehended the two suspects. Authorities said the pair have confessed to the k!llings and admitted involvement in gun-running, kidnapping and other violent crimes.

The suspects were subsequently arraigned before a state High Court sitting in Kwale. The presiding judge ordered that they be remanded in a correctional facility pending trial.

“This arrest signals a major breakthrough in the Department of State Services’ (DSS) ongoing investigations into cold cases, demonstrating the agency’s commitment to pursuing justice despite the passage of time,” an official who requested anonymity said.

“It also underscores the effectiveness of coordinated intelligence efforts in resurfacing long-dormant leads and reassures communities that no violent crime, particularly those targeting security personnel will go unpunished,” the official added.

The arrests mark a significant development in efforts to resolve the 2023 incident, which heightened tensions in the area and drew widespread condemnation.