Army intercepts gun-runner with 969 rounds in Taraba

The Nigerian Army has arrested another suspected gun-runner in Taraba State,recovering two AK-47 rifles and 969 rounds of ammunition in what military authorities describe as a significant disruption to illegal arms flows in the volatile North-Central and North-East regions

Troops of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke intercepted the suspect, Monday Reuben, a 48-year-old resident of Numan Local Government Area in neighbouring Adamawa State, during a routine stop-and-search operation on Friday, February at Sarkin Kudu in Ibi Local Government Area.

The operation, which followed credible intelligence, saw vigilant troops flag down an Audi vehicle with Abuja registration number RBC 798 DV. A thorough search yielded a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition.

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Items recovered from the suspect include two AK-47 rifles, 197 empty magazines, one box of 7.62 x 51mm NATO ammunition containing 250 rounds, fourteen packs of 9mm Parabellum ammunition containing 700 rounds, and nineteen rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.

Authorities also recovered ₦2.44 million in cash, one wallet containing four different identification cards and four ATM cards, two mobile phones (one Android and one Itel keypad phone), a power bank, eight bottles of perfume, one rechargeable touch light, and assorted local charms.

The latest arrest is part of an intensified military campaign against arms trafficking networks operating across Taraba State and the broader North-Central region. Just one month earlier, on January 11-12, 2026, troops from the same unit, working alongside Defence Intelligence Agency operatives, arrested two other suspected gun-runners — Christopher Adamu (also known as “Suffer”), 48, and James Yangyang, 37 — at Sebos Joint in Mayo Dassa area of Jalingo Local Government Area and Tautre village.

That operation led to the recovery of multiple firearms and a significant quantity of ammunition, exposing what security analysts describe as an organized arms-trafficking syndicate supplying weapons to criminal elements across the region.

Earlier in late January 2026, troops also arrested Joshua Dutse Idah, described as a notorious gunrunner responsible for supplying arms and ammunition to criminals operating in Taraba State.

The Commander of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke, Brigadier General Chukwuemeka Micheal Akaliro, commended the troops for their alertness and professionalism, emphasizing the need to maintain operational tempo.

“The Brigade must sustain this momentum as we strive to fulfill the mandate given by the Chief of Army Staff — to rid Taraba State of all forms of criminality and threats to lives and property,” Brigadier General Akaliro stated.

He added that the Brigade’s reward and sanction policy remains in effect, with officers and soldiers involved in successful operations receiving due recognition for their commitment to duty.

The suspect and all recovered items have been taken into custody and will be handed over to appropriate authorities for further investigation.

The arrests come amid rising concerns about illegal arms proliferation fueling banditry, kidnapping, and communal violence across Nigeria’s North-Central states. Security experts warn that the region has become a major transit route for weapons trafficking, with arms dealers exploiting porous borders and inadequate security infrastructure.

Taraba State, which shares boundaries with Adamawa, Benue, Gombe, Plateau, and Nasarawa states, as well as an international border with Cameroon, has remained a flashpoint for various security challenges, including farmer-herder conflicts, kidnapping, and armed banditry.

Operation Whirl Stroke, a multi-state joint military task force, was established to combat these security threats across the North-Central zone. Recent successes by the operation demonstrate the effectiveness of intelligence-led approaches in combating organized crime networks.

Military authorities have called on citizens to continue providing credible intelligence to security agencies, stressing that community cooperation remains crucial to sustaining the gains recorded in recent operations.

Crediblenewsng.com