Banditry: Nigerian Troops Arrest Three Illegal Arms Dealers From Niger Republic

In their sustained fights against insurgency and banditry in Nigeria, particularly the northern parts of the country, the Nigerian troops have arrested three Nigeriens for illegally trading in arms and other dangerous weapons in the country.

Troops of the operation ‘Sahel Sanity’ in Faskari, Katsina State, the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari smashed a notorious illegal arms smuggling syndicate who specializes in massive but illegal arms supply to bandits in the North West from across the international borders

Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko, the acting Director, Defense Media Operations disclosed this to newsmen at a press briefing on the activities of the operation held at the Special Army Super Camp 4 in Faskari, Katsina State on Monday.

According to him, the gallant troops of Operation SAHEL SANITY deployed at forwarding Operation Base Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State on August 15, 2020, arrested the trio of Alhaji Adamu Alhassan, Salisu Adamu and Abdullahi Sani (all Nigeriens) at Dantudu in Mailailai District of Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State.

He said they were caught with 6 AK 47 rifles, 3 AK 47 rifle magazines and 2,415 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition deceptively concealed in various parts of their vehicle.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the dangerous the consignment was meant for some bandits in Isah LGA of Sokoto State which could have led to the loss of thousands of innocent lives,” he stated.

He said one of the arrested arms suppliers, Alhaji Adamu Alhassan, who is diabetic and hypertensive, experienced seizure and gave up the ghost while he was being rushed to the hospital.

The defense operations spokesman said the investigation of the other two accomplices continued in order to track and arrest all those in the chain of the heinous activity in collaboration with other intelligence and security agencies from our neighboring countries.

In a related development, Brigadier General Onyeuko said on 12 August 12, 2020, in a combined special clearance operation, troops destroyed twelve bandit camps at Yobe Baranda in Batsari LGA of Katsina State and in the process three bandits were neutralized, while others escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds.

Also on the same August 12, 2020, troops of forwarding Operation Base in Wanke arrested a suspected bandit one, Shehu Abdullahi while spying on traders activities in the market with the intent of organizing for their kidnap.