THE Nasarawa State Police Command said it has obstructed a major illegal arms trafficking attempt in the state and has arrested two suspects related to the crime.
A Wednesday statement by the state’s Commissioner of Police, SP Ramhan Nansel, said the incident, which occurred on June 4, 2025, at about 3:00 AM, the Command intercepted two suspected gunrunners travelling through Lafia in possession of a large cache of high-grade firearms and ammunition en route to Ilorin, Kwara state.
Acting on credible intelligence, the Command said it swiftly deployed its Anti-Kidnapping Unit, leading to the arrest of the suspects.
The two suspects arrested are: Lawal Sani, male, 40 years old, a commercial bus driver from Makwalla area, Funtua LGA, Katsina State, and Dahiru Abdullahi, male, 75 years old, a cattle trader from Angwan Dosa, Kaduna North LGA, Kaduna State, known to operate within Keffi Cattle Market, Nasarawa State.
The seized items include: one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), three AK-47 rifles, one TAB 06 rifle, 1,096 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, 20 rounds of 7.62mm NATO calibre ammunition, four empty magazines, and one Toyota Hiace bus, grey in color, registration number AAA 926 XL.
According to the Command, 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,” the statement noted.
The Commissioner of police further stressed that the operation is a resounding message to all criminal elements in the state.
“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 activity through the official hotlines: 08112692680, 08032564469, 08036157659, 08037461715, 07032532391 and assure continued, decisive action against threats to peace and security,” the statement added.
