As part of a nationwide campaign against the illegal arms trade, the Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested two gunrunners transporting high-grade weapons from Benue State to Ilorin, Kwara State capital.
The two arms dealers, apprehended during an intelligence-led operation by the command’s operatives, are Lawal Sani, a 40-year-old commercial bus driver from the Makwalla area of Funtua Local Government Area, Katsina State, and Dahiru Abdullahi, a 75-year-old cattle dealer from Angwan Dosa in Kaduna North LGA, Kaduna State.
The operation also led to the recovery of various firearms and ammunition, which the duo had transported out of Benue in a grey Toyota Hiace bus with registration number AAA 926 XL.
Items recovered include one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), three AK-47 rifles, one TAB 06 rifle, 1,096 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, 20 rounds of 7.62mm NATO-calibre ammunition, and four empty magazines.
According to the command’s spokesperson, Rahman Nansel, the arrests, which took place on Wednesday, followed a tip-off.
Nansel revealed that during interrogation, the suspects confessed they were paid ₦500,000 to transport the weapons from Benue to Ilorin, Kwara State.
“This was not just a case of gunrunning; this cache could have empowered multiple criminal gangs, posing a significant threat to national security,” he said.
There are indications that insurgents who have been terrorizing residents of Benue State for months are beginning to move out of the region, following the relocation of the Chief of Army Staff to the state to boost military offensives against the ongoing terror attacks.
Speaking on the success of the operation, Commissioner of Police, CP Shetima Mohammed, commended the officers involved and issued a stern warning to criminal elements.
“This operation sends a resounding message: Nasarawa State is not a safe corridor for crime. We remain unshaken in our resolve to dismantle illegal arms networks and protect the lives of innocent Nigerians,” CP Mohammed stated.
He also urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities through the police emergency lines, assuring the public of continued decisive action against any threat to peace and order.
Meanwhile, the suspects remain in custody as police intensify investigations to track down other members of the arms trafficking network.
