Troops arrest gun runners, rescue victims in Zamfara

Nigerian Troops Arrest Three Suspected Gun Runners, Rescue Six Victims in Zamfara

Troops from the 1 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, operating under the Joint Task Force North West in Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have arrested three individuals suspected of arms trafficking and rescued six abducted victims during separate operations in Zamfara State.

The operations took place along the Kauran Namoda–Shinkafi and Anka–Gummi routes within the state.

In a statement released Monday, Captain Yusuf Mohammed, the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 1 Brigade, reported that the arrests occurred around 2:05 p.m. on August 23, 2026. The troops conducted a stop-and-search operation along the Kauran Namoda–Shinkafi Road, leading to the apprehension of the suspects.

The arrested individuals were identified as Lukman Sulaiman, 20, and Nafiu Isa, 18, both from Yar-Galadima in the Dan-Sadau District, and their 60-year-old driver, Adamu Lawali.

During the operation, troops recovered an AK-103-2 rifle, one magazine, and 30 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition concealed in a bag of millet inside a Golf Wagon vehicle with the registration number BMJ-143AA. Preliminary investigations suggested that the suspects were transporting the weapon to Yar-Galadima in the Maru Local Government Area.

The two younger suspects reportedly claimed that an individual identified as Alhaji, who resides in Gusau and is said to be their father, provided funding for the purchase of the millet used to conceal the weapon. They alleged that the firearm was intended for delivery to a man named Tijjani Goguwa in Yar-Galadima.

The suspects, along with the weapon, ammunition, and vehicle, have been detained pending further investigation and legal proceedings. Authorities are also pursuing efforts to apprehend Goguwa, the alleged recipient of the weapon.

In a related operation on the same day, at approximately 2:30 p.m., troops stationed at Forward Operating Base Anka responded to a surveillance alert regarding a terrorist attack on a vehicle at Gadan Manya, located along the Anka–Gummi Main Supply Route. Upon their arrival, the troops engaged the attackers, who were attempting to abduct the vehicle’s occupants.

The timely intervention by the troops interrupted the assailants’ actions, causing them to flee and abandon the six victims, who were subsequently rescued and transported to General Hospital Anka for medical care.

Three of the rescued individuals sustained minor injuries and are currently in stable condition. Efforts are ongoing to recover the vehicle involved in the incident.

According to the statement, these operations reflect the determination of 1 Brigade troops to disrupt terrorist logistics and protect civilians along major routes and vulnerable communities. The Brigade has intensified patrols and surveillance in the area to prevent terrorists from operating freely.

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