The Zamfara State Police Command has detained a 58-year-old Algerian national, suspected of being involved in transborder arms trafficking.
The arrest was made following intelligence-driven operations in the state.
Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Dalijan, confirmed the arrest in Gusau on Tuesday, stating that the detained individual had been active in supplying arms to criminal groups in the region for nearly eight years.
According to Dalijan, the suspect, arrested at the Illela border point, had been trafficking arms to bandits operating in northwestern Nigeria.
In addition to the Algerian national’s arrest, police also recovered 16 AK47 rifles during various raids over the past three weeks.
Among the weapons seized were a double-barrel shotgun and a locally made pistol from a suspected arms manufacturer based in Jos, Plateau State.
Dalijan disclosed that the operation also led to the detention of other suspects, including alleged bandits and individuals involved in the supply of motorcycles to criminal groups. In the course of the arrests, the police seized live ammunition and N2.5 million in cash.
Furthermore, the police uncovered illegal mining activities in the region, detaining several individuals and recovering numerous mining excavators. The Commissioner emphasized that the ongoing federal and state government ban on illegal mining remains in full effect.
The arrest of the suspected arms trafficker and the recovery of weapons highlight the continued efforts of the Zamfara State Police Command to combat insecurity in the region and disrupt the supply chain fueling banditry and criminal activity.
