By Zagazola Makama
ASABA (CONVERSEER) – Three years after the murder of four soldiers in Ashaka Aboh, Ndokwa East LGA, Delta State, the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested two suspects, linked to the killings.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspects, Ufuoma Sunday James and Lawrence Umuakpero Oboguayivwgue, were also implicated in the beheading of Chief Okwudili Obi (aka Odumodu), the self-proclaimed traditional ruler of Asemoku Community, amid a 2023 communal crisis.
It would be recalled that, in February 2023, military personnel deployed on a peace mission during a communal crisis between Kwale and Asemoku communities in Ndokwa East LGA were ambushed by hoodlums allegedly led by James, resulting in the death of the soldiers and theft of their weapons.
Credible security sources revealed that in January 2026, DSS operatives, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended the suspects, who have reportedly confessed to the crimes and admitted involvement in gun-running and other violent incidents.
“DSS operatives have been investigating the case for over a year now and in January this year, they received accurate intelligence which led to the arrest of the suspects,” offered the source.
‘The suspects have confessed to the crimes and also admitted to other crimes including gun running, kidnapping and other violent incidents. They have been arraigned before a state high court in Kwale where the judge ordered that they be remanded in a correctional centre pending trial,” added the source.
“This arrest represents 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,” stated another source.
“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,” he declared.
