Three locally made firearms recovered as police raid suspected arms-trafficking syndicate in Kaduna
Operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command have foiled a suspected kidnapping attempt in Makarfi Local Government Area, arresting four suspects and recovering three locally made firearms and 300 rounds of live ammunition.
The command’s spokesman, DSP Mansir Hassan, said the first incident occurred in the early hours of September 20, when suspected armed bandits attacked a resident in Gimi Ward, Makarfi.
According to him, police operatives from the Makarfi Division, supported by local vigilantes, responded to a distress call and engaged the attackers in a gun battle.
Hassan said the suspects fled into the bush during the encounter, while one of them, a 20-year-old man, was wounded and arrested.
A locally made rifle loaded with three live cartridges, a locally made pistol with one live round and a bag containing charms were reportedly recovered from the suspect.
In a separate operation in Gwantu, police arrested another suspect who was allegedly carrying a locally fabricated pistol and intimidating residents.
The command said the suspect was tracked and arrested on September 21, with the firearm recovered from him.
The third operation targeted a suspected arms-trafficking syndicate operating around Giwa Local Government Area and the railway station axis of Kaduna.
Following what the police described as credible intelligence, detectives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit conducted surveillance and arrested two suspects.
The operation led to the recovery of 270 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and 30 rounds of Type 06 ammunition, bringing the total ammunition recovered in the operations to 300 rounds.
The police said all four suspects remain in custody while investigations continue to determine the source and intended destination of the ammunition and identify other persons allegedly connected to the suspected syndicate.
The Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, commended the police operatives and local vigilantes for their prompt response, directing them to intensify efforts to apprehend fleeing suspects.
He also urged residents to continue providing credible information to the police to support ongoing security operations.