Police Arrest Two Suspected Gunrunners, Seize Eight Guns in Kaduna

Nigerian police have arrested two suspected gunrunners and recovered eight firearms in Kaduna. The operation is part of efforts to curb illegal arms trafficking. Learn more.

Officers from the Kaduna State Police Command have apprehended two notorious arms dealers in Zaria’s local government area.

Mansir Hassan, the Public Relations Officer for the Command, revealed this information in a statement on Friday.

He stated that the suspects were apprehended on Thursday, December 5th, 2024, by officers from the 47 Police Mobile Force Squadron Zaria during a routine vehicle patrol along the Zaria-Jos Road.

The police spokesman reported that the suspects, Zubairu Musa and Nasiru Saidu, both residents of Kankara Local Government Area in Katsina State, were discovered with a bag containing eight locally manufactured pump-action guns, one homemade pistol, and 65 live cartridges.

Hassan also mentioned that initial investigations indicated the suspects were part of an illegal firearms trafficking operation. He noted that they are currently cooperating with police to help capture their accomplices and expose the full scope of the gunrunning network within Kaduna State.

In response, Ibrahim Abdullahi, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, praised the officers for their prompt action.

He reiterated the Command’s dedication to upholding law and order, encouraging citizens to stay alert and report any suspicious activities to the police.

Kaduna, a state in the northwestern region, is impacted by insecurity, particularly due to banditry.

Over time, the bandits instill fear in residents by raiding and looting villages, committing acts of murder and kidnapping individuals, and setting homes ablaze.

The gangs have established camps within a vast forest that spans across Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states. They are infamous for frequently engaging in the mass abduction of schoolchildren.

In recent weeks, the Nigerian military has initiated extensive operations in Zamfara and Sokoto to address the escalating deadly attacks by bandits on remote villages.

The military offensives have resulted in the deaths of several key figures, including Halilu Sububu, who was regarded as the primary bandit leader in northwestern Nigeria.