Police arrest 75-year-old man over arms trafficking

The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested a 75-year-old suspected arms trafficker, Dahiru Abdullahi, following credible and actionable intelligence.
Abdullahi, a cattle trader from Kaduna State, was arrested alongside one Lawal Sani, a 40-year-old commercial bus driver from Katsina, by the anti-kidnapping unit of the Nasarawa State Police Command in a meticulously executed operation.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, confirmed the arrest of the suspects in a statement issued to Journalists in Lafia, the state capital, on Wednesday.
According to him, the suspected gunrunners were arrested while travelling through Lafia in possession of a large cache of high-grade firearms and ammunition en route to Ilorin, Kwara state.
The police spokesperson revealed that the items seized from the suspects include 1 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 3 AK-47 rifles, 1 TAB 06 rifle, 1,096 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, 20 rounds of 7.62mm NATO calibre ammunition, 4 empty magazines and 1 Toyota Hiace bus, grey in color, registration number AAA 926 XL.
He added, “The suspects confessed to being paid ₦500,000 to transport the weapons from Benue to Kwara State—a transaction that could have armed multiple criminal networks. They have been taken into custody, and a full-scale investigation is currently underway to uncover the network behind this operation.”
SP Ramhan Nansel noted that the Commissioner of Police, Shitima Mohammed, had declared zero tolerance for crime, explaining that the operation was a resounding message to all criminal elements in the state.
Nasarawa State is not a safe corridor for crime. We remain unshaken in our resolve to dismantle illegal arms networks and protect the lives of innocent Nigerians.
“We call on the public to stay alert and continue reporting suspicious movements through our official hotlines. We assure of our continued, decisive action against threats to peace and security in the state,” the statement added.