A security operative has been arrested by the Directorate of State Services (DSS) for allegedly selling arms and ammunition meant for national security to bandits. The unnamed officer was caught with a large cache of weapons he intended to sell for N4 million, in a shocking case highlighting the growing issue of arms trafficking in Nigeria.
The arrest was part of a wider crackdown by the Kaduna Command of the DSS, which also led to the capture of 53 other suspects involved in various criminal activities. Among those arrested were eight suspected bandits, 22 informants, four gunrunners, two human traffickers, four cyber fraudsters, two vandals, and 12 family members of bandits.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State praised the DSS for their efforts, noting that the security operations had led to the recovery of a significant amount of weapons. According to him, the success of these raids is a reflection of the renewed focus under DSS Director General Ajayi, whose leadership has been instrumental in tackling arms trafficking in Nigeria and other security challenges.
Read Also: Democracy Strong Under Tinubu, Says Presidency Amid Party Defections
Speaking through the State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), Governor Sani detailed the results of the DSS’s 34 operations in the first quarter of the year. He said the recovered weapons included five AK-47 rifles, one GPMG, three RPG launchers, and over 5,000 rounds of ammunition. Additionally, 79 kidnap victims were rescued and are now in the custody of the state government.
Further investigation revealed that the arrested security operative was serving in Zamfara State. He allegedly admitted to stealing ammunition meant for the fight against bandits in Zamfara and nearby regions, instead choosing to sell them to the very criminals they were meant to be used against.
Sources told The Nation that when the officer was arrested, he had 217 rounds of various types of ammunition on him, intended for sale. In a related development, one suspected gunrunner confessed to being caught with 500 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition, which he planned to sell for N1.5 million to a contact in Birnin Gwari, a troubled area in Kaduna.
Another suspect revealed he was intercepted on his way to Katsina State, carrying 1,087 rounds of ammunition, while his associate was caught in Funtua, Katsina, trying to deliver 701 rounds to bandits operating in Zamfara.
These arrests have again thrown a spotlight on the persistent problem of arms trafficking in Nigeria, which continues to fuel banditry, kidnapping, and insecurity across the Northwest and beyond.
