By Kingsley Omonobi
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested nine suspects and dismantled several gun-running and arms supply syndicates operating across Nasarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, and Taraba States in the past month.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja, noting that the operations led to the recovery of a large cache of firearms and ammunition.
Recovered items included seven AK-47 rifles, two AK-49 rifles, five pump-action rifles, fifteen magazines, one locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, one short rifle, one locally made pistol, one axe, six machetes, 615 rounds of live ammunition of various calibres, and fourteen expended cartridges.
According to Hundeyin, operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) arrested the suspects following credible intelligence.
On August 30, 2025, police operatives arrested Bello Lado (40), alias Bingel; Jafar Adam (25); Adamu Yusuf (46), alias Alh. Bete; and Yusuf Ibrahim (52), alias Chairman Doka in Nasarawa and Plateau States. Two AK-47 rifles and 21 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from them.
Investigations revealed that the group had conspired since 2022 to trade nearly 4,940 rounds of live ammunition. Efforts are ongoing to track other members of the syndicate still at large.
In another operation, acting on a petition from concerned citizens of Nasarawa State, IRT operatives arrested Alhaji Bature Manya (46) of Okpatta Village, Doma LGA. He was found with an AK-49 rifle and a magazine.
Similarly, on September 27, 2025, operatives arrested Yunana Iliya (34), alias Bado, in Kanrafi Village, Kaduna State. Investigations revealed he and three accomplices, currently on the run, were involved in the illegal supply of arms to bandits.
On September 18, 2025, IRT officers apprehended Yusuf Musa (alias Dare) and Mohammadu Jafaru (alias Mu’a’fe) in Taraba State. The suspects were part of a network supplying arms to criminal gangs across Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, and Benue States. Police recovered an AK-49 rifle and 30 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
Hundeyin said further investigation showed that the weapons were used for armed robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and inter-communal attacks.
On October 6, 2025, police arrested Alhaji Jibrin Abubakar (40), alias Alh. Majoye, of Dogon Ruwan Jahr Village in Plateau State. A fabricated AK-47 rifle was recovered from him. He is reportedly a member of a notorious syndicate operating across Plateau, Bauchi, and Nasarawa States.
Hundeyin assured that investigations are ongoing to apprehend other members of the criminal networks and recover additional arms in circulation.
The post Police arrest gun runners, arms suppliers, kidnappers in Nasarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Taraba appeared first on Vanguard News.
