Nigerian troops intercept guns, AK-47 rifles shipment from Niger Republic for terrorists in Zamfara

Troops of Operation Fansan Yamma have seized a cache of firearms and ammunition in Kaura Namoda LGA of Zamfara state.

The incident was disclosed on Tuesday by counter-terrorism expert Zagazola Makama on his verified X account.

The operation, carried out between January 26 and 27, was based on credible intelligence about suspected arms dealers operating from Niger Republic.

The suspects were intercepted along the Kaura Namoda-Zurmi Road.

“The troops launched a covert operation to track the suspects, leading to a pursuit along the Kaura Namoda-Zurmi road,” Makama said.

“The suspects attempted to escape by diverting their vehicle into the bush but were forced to abandon it after being engaged by troops.

“A search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of the following items: Two PKT machine guns, Nine AK-47 rifles, 13 magazines, 171 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and Nine rounds of PKT ammunition.”

The publication said the suspects managed to escape, adding that security forces are intensifying efforts to track and apprehend them.

In a related development, the Ondo State Security outfit, codenamed Amotekun, said it has arrested and paraded over 300 suspected criminals in the last three months.

Amotekun Commander, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said the suspects were arrested across 15 locations in the 18 council areas of the state.

Adeleye said the development followed the increased influx of bandits into the South-West region, which has kept Ondo State authorities on high alert to ensure the safety of lives and property.

He said: “We rely heavily on grassroots intelligence. In the last three months, we arrested and paraded over 300 suspects across approximately 15 locations in the 18 local government areas of the state.

“Most of them were apprehended in connection with crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, housebreaking, and other minor offences.

“Some of these suspects have been prosecuted in court, while others had their cases resolved. Many of them remain in correctional centres across the state.

“We also have what we call Amotekun ambassadors, who operate discreetly within communities as part of our intelligence unit.

“These ambassadors move across towns and villages, gathering grassroots information to help identify bad actors who collaborate with criminals.

“This system has been yielding remarkable results for us. All the criminals we have apprehended so far were a result of the grassroots intelligence reports we received from villages and towns within the state.

“We have put in place some strategy that will make the state too hot for them to stay.”

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