Troops of the 37 Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Demonstration Battalion have recovered a total of 469 arms and rounds of ammunition during a special operation in the Kaduna general area, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) disclosed on Saturday.
According to a statement signed by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, the operation also led to the arrest of suspected terrorists and gunrunners, demonstrating the military’s commitment to national security and public safety.
The operation, conducted on Thursday, was the result of careful planning and actionable intelligence, which led to the interception and arrest of three suspects identified as Yakubu Jibril, 45; Abubakar Yahaya, 45; and Isiya Sani, 30.
The suspects were apprehended while traveling in a black Golf 4 vehicle with registration number ABUJA 385 K7 along the Kauya–Old Afaka–Sabon Birni Road in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
A thorough search of the vehicle uncovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition. The seizure included nine AK-47 rifles, 389 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) live ammunition, 54 rounds of 5.56 x 45mm (NATO) ammunition, seventeen rifle magazines, GSM handsets, other incriminating materials, and cash amounting to three hundred and sixty-five thousand, six hundred naira.
The military described the arrests and seizure as a major success in its efforts to combat the proliferation of illegal arms and criminal networks. The suspects are currently in custody and undergoing detailed interrogation to expose the wider syndicate involved in arms trafficking.
The Chief of Defence Staff has commended the troops for their swift and effective response, assuring the public of ongoing security operations with heightened vigilance across the country.
The DHQ emphasized that this latest success underscores the armed forces’ unwavering resolve to ensure the safety and security of citizens, especially in regions prone to insurgent and bandit activity. The recovered arms and ammunition, it said, serve as concrete evidence of the military’s continued effort to dismantle threats to national security.
