The Zamfara State Police Command has apprehended a 58-year-old Algerian national suspected of being involved in transborder arms trafficking. This development was confirmed by the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Dalijan, during a press briefing in Gusau on Tuesday.
According to Dalijan, the suspect was arrested at the Illela border point, a known entry point between Nigeria and Niger, following intelligence reports. The operation led to the recovery of four AK-47 rifles, with the suspect confessing to engaging in illegal arms trade for over eight years.
The commissioner revealed that the Algerian supplied weapons to bandits across various states in Nigeria’s northwest region.
In a separate operation, the police traced and detained an arms manufacturer in Jos, Plateau State, recovering 16 AK-47 rifles, a double-barrel gun, and a locally made pistol.
Additionally, the police apprehended several individuals suspected of supplying motorcycles to bandits and recovered live ammunition and cash amounting to ₦2.5 million from them.
The command also cracked down on illegal mining activities, detaining several miners and confiscating mining excavators, reiterating that the Federal and State governments’ ban on illegal mining remains in effect.
