The Nigerian Army, on Thursday, said it successfully dismantled a gun-running syndicate supplying arms and ammunition to terrorist groups operating in the North-West.
In a post on its official X handle on Thursday, the Nigerian Army said toops also apprehended a notorious kidnapping syndicate and recovered a substantial cache of arms and ammunition from the suspects.
The army, in another raid, apprehended a member of a kidnap syndicate responsible for the assassination of the Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in the Orelope Local Government Area of Oyo State, Alhaji Mairuga Abubakar.
The army said the troops, working in coordination with other security agencies, on Wednesday, seized a notorious gunrunner, Mallam Yau Ibrahim.
The post said the suspect was nabbed at Babinga Kudaru village of Saminaka, in the Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State, following an earlier apprehension of another syndicate member on July 31 by the troops of Operation Safe Haven in Jos, Plateau State.
“Among the items recovered are one AK-47 rifle, AK-47 rifle magazine, 1,641 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, and 49 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition,” it said.
In Katsina State, the Nigerian army said its troops laid an ambush and neutralised a terrorist at Anguwa Boka in Faskari Local Government Area.
It added that the troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, one AK-47 Magazine, three rounds of 7.62 mm (Special) ammunition, a mobile phone and assorted items.
The army also said its troops, in a separate operation, tracked and apprehended one Abubakar Shehu (25) in the Ijebu-Ode area of Ogun State.
“Shehu is a member of a kidnap syndicate responsible for the assassination of Alhaji Mairuga Abubakar, the Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in Orelope Local Government Area of Oyo State.
“Following preliminary investigation, the suspect led troops to Okoka forest in the Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State.
“They recovered four AK-47 rifles, a locally fabricated pistol, eight magazines, one cartridge, and 110 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition.
“The troops are continuing their pursuit of other members of the kidnap syndicate,’’ it added.
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