Fatima Salisu, 21, has been arrested by the Nasarawa State Police Command on suspicion of transporting ammunition across state boundaries.
A well-planned operation based on reliable intelligence led to the arrest in Lafia’s Azuba neighbourhood.
Fatima, a resident of Funtua in Katsina State, was allegedly travelling via Keana and Doma Local Government Areas with a sizable ammunition stockpile in order to transfer the shipment to criminal organisations in Katsina.
The Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit was instructed to intercept the suspect by Commissioner of Police CP Shetima J. Mohammed in response to intelligence.
400 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition and 81 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition were successfully recovered from her possession as a result of the operation.
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, confirmed the arrest in a statement released in the wee hours of Thursday.
“The suspect is currently in custody and undergoing intensive interrogation as investigations continue to uncover the full scope of the arms trafficking network, including potential links to banditry and terrorism,” Nansel stated.
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He described the arrest as a significant success in the fight against illegal arms proliferation and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to securing the state.
The Nasarawa Police Command urged members of the public to remain vigilant and support law enforcement agencies with timely and reliable information.
