The Nasarawa State Police Command has apprehended a 75-year-old suspected arms trafficker, Dahiru Abdullahi, based on credible and actionable intelligence.
Abdullahi, identified as a cattle trader from Kaduna State, was arrested along with Lawal Sani, a 40-year-old commercial bus driver from Katsina State. The duo was nabbed by the anti-kidnapping unit of the command in a carefully coordinated operation.
The arrest was confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state command, SP Ramhan Nansel, in a statement released to journalists on Wednesday in Lafia, the state capital.
According to the PPRO, the suspects were intercepted while traveling through Lafia in possession of a significant cache of firearms and ammunition. They were allegedly transporting the weapons to Ilorin, Kwara State.
Among the items recovered from the suspects were: 1 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 3 AK-47 rifles, 1 TAB 06 rifle, 1,096 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, 20 rounds of 7.62mm NATO calibre ammunition, 4 empty magazines, and a grey Toyota Hiace bus with registration number AAA 926 XL.
SP Nansel stated, “The suspects confessed to being paid ₦500,000 to transport the weapons from Benue to Kwara State—a transaction that could have armed multiple criminal networks. They have been taken into custody, and a full-scale investigation is currently underway to uncover the network behind this operation.”
He further noted that the Commissioner of Police, Shitima Mohammed, has maintained a strict zero-tolerance stance on criminal activities. The successful operation, he said, sends a clear warning to wrongdoers.
“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.
“We call on the public to stay alert and continue reporting suspicious movements through our official hotlines. We assure you of our continued, decisive action against threats to peace and security in the state,” the statement added.
