Three suspects arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) for arms trafficking, have been convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Chief Magistrate Court Grade 1 sitting in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, without an option of fine.
The convicts, Sakina Garba, Ali Gono and Ibrahim Abdulrashid, were arrested between January and February 2026. New Telegraph gathered that the sentencing came just as a woman, Halima Umar, who was also apprehended by operatives, owned up to illegal possession of 302 rounds of live ammunition before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Highly-placed security sources, who spoke in confidence said the development came on the heels of intelligence which blew the lid off their plans to transport arms and ammunition from Bantaje village in Wukari LGA, Taraba State, for delivery to a certain bandit kingpin still at large.
It was further revealed that the suspects were intercepted along Wukari-Jalingo road with the exhibits concealed in two sacks of food items.
“The suspects were caught with two sacks of food items in which they hid one AK-47 rifle, 984 rounds of 7.6mm ammunition and 105 rounds of 7.82mm ammunition. Also found in their sacks were 14 AK-47 rifle magazines. three POS machines and N200,200 cash”, the source said.
