Troops arrest high-profile arms trafficker linked to interstate weapons network
Nigerian Troops Arrest Suspected Arms Trafficker
Nigerian troops conducting Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) have apprehended a suspected high-profile arms trafficker linked to an interstate illegal weapons network.
The arrest occurred on Sunday, June 14, 2026, following credible intelligence regarding the movement of illicit arms across state lines. Troops from Sector 6, in partnership with Headquarters OPEP, executed a coordinated operation leading to the suspect’s capture.
According to a statement issued on the operation’s social media platform, the suspect, identified as Inspector Danjuma Yusuf, was traveling in a white Peugeot vehicle from Jos South towards the Makera axis in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. He was placed under surveillance and intercepted at a military checkpoint in Makera.
A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a cache of weapons and other items, including two locally fabricated pistols, 167 rounds of 9mm ammunition, three cans of pepper spray, a jackknife, two mobile phones, two cutlasses, a police staff tag, photographs of the suspect in a police uniform, two ATM cards, a National Identification Number (NIN) card, and cash totaling N73,300.
Investigations indicate that Yusuf, a former member of the Nigeria Police Force Base 7 in Abuja, had been dismissed from service. He is reportedly a significant player in an arms-trafficking syndicate believed to supply weapons to groups involved in terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of violent crime.
The statement emphasized the Nigerian Army’s commitment, in collaboration with other security agencies, to securing lives and property while continuing offensive operations against threats to national security. Authorities encouraged the public to provide timely and credible information to assist in dismantling criminal networks and restoring peace.
