Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested a 75-year-old suspected arms dealer, Dahiru Abdullahi, and his accomplice in a well-coordinated operation based on intelligence gathering. The arrest, which took place on April 7, 2021, was confirmed by the command's Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, in a statement to journalists at the State Secretariat in Lafia on Wednesday.
Abdullahi, a cattle dealer from Kaduna State, was apprehended alongside 40-year-old Lawal Sani, a commercial bus driver from Katsina State. The suspects were intercepted while traveling through Lafia with a substantial cache of arms and ammunition reportedly destined for Ilorin in Kwara State.
Weapons Recovered in the Operation
According to SP Nansel, the items recovered from the suspects included:
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 caliber ammunition
Four empty magazines
A grey Toyota Hiace bus with registration number AAA 926 XL
Suspects' Confession and Investigation
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to being paid ₦500,000 to transport the weapons from Benue to Kwara State. Police authorities noted that this transaction could have armed multiple criminal networks across the region.
"The suspects have been taken into custody, and a full-scale investigation is currently underway to uncover the network behind this operation," SP Nansel stated.
The police spokesperson emphasized the command's commitment to dismantling illegal arms networks in the state, declaring: "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."
The command has urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements through their official hotline, assuring citizens of continued decisive action against threats to peace and security in the state.
