The Nigeria Police Force has arrested 10 suspects and recovered two AK-47 rifles, a Type 06 rifle, magazines and 58 rounds of live ammunition in a series of intelligence-led operations targeting suspected firearms trafficking networks and criminal syndicates across the country.
The operations were carried out by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) attached to the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
According to the police, eight suspects were arrested during an operation spanning Imo and Rivers states over their alleged involvement in a criminal syndicate linked to kidnapping and illegal firearms procurement.
One of the suspects, identified as Mohammadu Sani, described by the police as the principal suspect, was apprehended on the outskirts of Owerri, Imo State.
The police said an AK-47 rifle and 30 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were recovered from him at the time of his arrest.
Investigators reportedly discovered that Sani had previously operated in Kogi State before relocating to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he allegedly attempted to rebuild his criminal network.
The Force said further investigations linked some members of the syndicate to kidnapping activities in parts of Rivers and Imo states.
Police investigators also allegedly established that the recovered AK-47 rifle was obtained through an intermediary suspected of being involved in firearms trafficking.
In a separate operation in the North-Central region, IRT operatives arrested two suspected members of another firearms trafficking syndicate identified as Yakubu Danladi Pam and Abdulsalam Mohammed Hussain.
The police said one locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, one Type 06 rifle, two magazines and 28 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the suspects.
“Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspects were involved in the supply, transportation and distribution of firearms across parts of the North-Central and North-Eastern regions,” Iniedu said.
The Nigeria Police Force said the operations formed part of its intensified efforts to dismantle criminal networks involved in the illegal acquisition, transportation and distribution of firearms across the country.
The Force added that investigations were ongoing to identify and apprehend other suspected members of the syndicates and determine the full scope of their activities.
Iniedu said the police would continue efforts to disrupt the illegal movement of firearms allegedly used to facilitate violent crimes.
The recovered weapons and ammunition, according to the Force, will be retained as evidence in the ongoing investigations and prosecution of the suspects where appropriate.
