Troops Intercept 3 Gunrunners, Seize Weapons, Cash in Kaduna
Troops of the 37 Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Demonstration Battalion have arrested three suspected gunrunners in Kaduna State, recovering a significant cache of arms and ammunition believed to be destined for criminal elements operating in the region.
The arrest, made on Thursday during a fighting patrol based on credible intelligence, occurred along the Kauya–Old Afaka–Sabon Birni road in Igabi Local Government Area.
The suspects — identified as Yakubu Jibril (45), Abubakar Yahaya (45), and Isiya Sani (30) — were intercepted while traveling in a black Volkswagen Golf 4 vehicle with Abuja registration number YAB 385 K7.
A search of the vehicle uncovered a large quantity of weapons and related items. The recovered items include:
Nine (9) AK-47 rifles
389 rounds of 7.62mm special live ammunition
54 rounds of 5.56 x 45mm NATO ammunition
17 magazines
One magazine carrier
Four GSM handsets
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One machete
One MTN Wi-Fi modem
Assorted charms
Suspected illicit substances
Tyre cold patch materials
A cash sum of ₦365,600
Security sources say the weapons were likely intended for use by bandits or terrorists in the forests around Kaduna and neighbouring states.
The suspects are currently in military custody and undergoing further interrogation and investigation to determine the extent of their operations and possible links to organized criminal or terrorist networks.
Military authorities have reiterated their commitment to sustaining aggressive patrols and intelligence-led operations aimed at dismantling arms supply chains and degrading the capabilities of armed groups threatening peace and security in the region.
The arrest is seen as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons across Nigeria’s northwest region, which has faced persistent threats from bandits, kidnappers, and insurgents.
By PRNigeria