Troops, DSS arrests female gunman with 884 rounds of ammunition in Kano

Troops of the 3rd Brigade of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested a suspected arms dealer in Kano State while he was transporting a large quantity of ammunition believed to be headed for bandits in Zamfara State.

Security sources said the suspect, a female courier, was arrested around 3am on Saturday following credible intelligence on the movement of illegal arms and ammunition through Kano.

According to sources, the woman was intercepted while transporting 884 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition from Plateau State to Zamfara State via Kano.

She was reportedly traveling with her 10-year-old daughter at the time of the arrest.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect had been recruited by criminal elements to deliver ammunition to Zamfara, one of the states most affected by banditry and armed violence.

During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed that she had received ₦50,000 as an advance for transportation of the consignment and was promised additional payment in case of successful delivery.

Security sources also revealed that the suspect had admitted carrying out similar tasks on two previous occasions.

“The suspect was intercepted based on useful intelligence relating to the movement of ammunition through Kano. A total of 884 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition were recovered during the operation,” a security source said.

The arrest highlights the growing use of civilian couriers by criminal networks involved in arms trafficking in the north-west and north-central regions of Nigeria.

The use of major transit hubs such as Kano for the movement of ammunition has remained a key factor enabling bandit groups to operate in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and neighboring states.

Authorities said the suspect and the recovered ammunition were handed over to the DSS for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Investigations are underway to uncover the wider network behind the illegal arms supply chain and identify other collaborators involved in the operation.

Related