Police intercept weapons haul in Katsina, thwart deadly plot

By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh / Katsina

The Katsina State Police Command has intercepted a large cache of arms and arrested two notorious gunrunners in a major crackdown on arms trafficking.

The operation resulted in the recovery of a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) and 1,295 rounds of live ammunition.

The breakthrough came in the early hours of Monday, around 4:35 a.m., when operatives from the Ingawa Police Division, patrolling the Ingawa-Karkarku village route, stopped a blue Volkswagen Golf (Reg. No. RSH 528 BY ABJ) and discovered a concealed cache of weapons.

The suspects—Abdulsalam Muhammad (25) and Aminu Mamman (23), both from Baure Village in Safana Local Government Area—were found transporting the arms from Hadejia in Jigawa State to Safana LGA in Katsina State.

The  items recovered include One General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with breach number Z8826, 1,063 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm AK-47 ammunition and 232 rounds of 7.62 x 69mm PKT ammunition

In a statement, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, lauded the police for the swift and decisive action.

“This operation demonstrates the Katsina State Government’s unwavering commitment to disrupting criminal supply chains before they can harm innocent citizens,” Dr. Mu’azu said.

He added that investigations are ongoing to determine the final destination of the weapons, identify other accomplices, and trace the source of the sophisticated arsenal.

The Katsina State Government commended the police for their exceptional vigilance and professionalism, pledging continued support for security agencies in the fight against criminality and arms smuggling.