Troops Arrest Dismissed Police Officer Over Alleged Interstate Arms Trafficking in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP) have arrested a dismissed police officer suspected of being involved in an interstate arms trafficking network operating across parts of the country.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama on Sunday that the suspect was apprehended during an intelligence-led operation conducted by troops of Sector 6 in collaboration with Headquarters Operation ENDURING PEACE.
The operation followed credible intelligence on the movement of illicit arms across state lines.
According to the sources, the suspect was travelling in a white Peugeot vehicle from Jos South Local Government Area towards the Makera axis of Riyom Local Government Area when he was placed under surveillance and intercepted at a military checkpoint in Makera.
A search conducted on the vehicle led to the recovery of two locally fabricated pistols, 167 rounds of 9mm ammunition, three cans of pepper spray and a jack knife.
Other items recovered from the suspect include two mobile phones, two cutlasses, a police staff identification tag, photographs of the suspect in police uniform, two Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, a National Identification Number (NIN) card and cash amounting to N73,300.
Preliminary investigations identified the suspect as Danjuma Yusuf, a former inspector attached to Police Base 7, Abuja, who had reportedly been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force.
Security sources further disclosed that intelligence reports linked the suspect to an interstate arms trafficking syndicate allegedly involved in supplying weapons to criminal groups engaged in terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
“The suspect is believed to be a key figure in a wider network involved in the movement and distribution of illegal arms across state boundaries. Investigations are ongoing to identify other members of the syndicate, including financiers, suppliers and collaborators,” the source said.
The suspect is currently in military custody and is undergoing further interrogation.
Military authorities described the arrest as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to curb the proliferation of illicit weapons and dismantle criminal networks fueling insecurity in the country.
They reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to sustaining intelligence-driven operations aimed at safeguarding lives and property and restoring peace in affected communities.
The authorities also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing efforts against criminal elements.
