The Zamfara State Police Command has detained a 58-year-old Algerian national for allegedly trafficking arms across borders, Commissioner of Police Mohammed Dalijan announced on Tuesday in Gusau.
Acting on intelligence, the police recovered 16 AK47 rifles, a double-barrel gun, and a locally made pistol in raids conducted over the past three weeks.
Commissioner Dalijan disclosed that the suspect, apprehended at the Illela border point, confessed to engaging in arms trafficking for eight years, supplying weapons to bandits across northwestern Nigeria.
“At the point of arrest, four AK47 rifles were recovered from the suspect. He admitted to being involved in the arms trade for nearly a decade,” Dalijan revealed.
In addition, the police detained an arms manufacturer in Jos, Plateau State, and other suspects, including suppliers of motorcycles to bandits.
“During these operations, we recovered live ammunition, N2.5 million cash, and other incriminating items from the suspects,” the commissioner stated.
The police also arrested individuals involved in illegal gold mining and confiscated several mining excavators, reiterating that the federal and state government ban on illegal mining remains in force.
Dalijan reaffirmed the police's commitment to curbing illegal activities in Zamfara, pledging continued efforts to dismantle criminal networks in the state.
