In a stunning breach of military protocol and national security, a 25-year-old Nigerian soldier, Private Yahaya Yunusa, has been apprehended for smuggling a cache of military-grade ammunition in Jaji, located in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Yunusa, who is attached to the elite 197 Special Forces Battalion in Zamfara State—a unit actively engaged in counterterrorism operations—was arrested at approximately 11:55 a.m. on Friday, April 18, 2025. Acting on credible intelligence, security operatives intercepted the soldier in possession of an alarming stockpile of ammunition, raising concerns about internal sabotage within the armed forces.
According to a classified operational report obtained exclusively by SaharaReporters, Yunusa was caught with 214 rounds of live ammunition, carefully concealed and linked by combat-ready chains. The inventory includes 50 rounds of 12.7×108mm, 69 rounds of 7.62×54mmR (both sets linked), 35 unlinked rounds of 7.62×54mmR, and 60 rounds of 5.56×45mm—ammunition typically used in high-caliber rifles and anti-aircraft machine guns.
Also found in his possession were multiple Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards from Opay, Unity Bank, Access Bank, and First Bank, alongside his official military identification card—hinting at the possibility of a broader network or illicit financial transactions.
During a preliminary interrogation, Yunusa allegedly admitted to siphoning the ammunition during active combat operations. He confessed to being the operator of the anti-aircraft (AA) machine gun mounted on a military vehicle, a position that granted him unrestricted access to heavy weaponry.
The report, dated April 18, reads in part:
“At about 1155hrs, one Yahaya Yunusa, a 25-year-old military Private (PTE), was apprehended in Jaji, Igabi LGA, Kaduna State. The suspect identified himself as a member of the 197 Special Forces Battalion in Zamfara. He was found in possession of unauthorised ammunition and his military ID card.”
The military authorities have since launched a high-level investigation to determine the intent behind the smuggling and whether Yunusa acted alone or as part of a larger clandestine operation.
Security analysts warn that this incident is not just an isolated breach but a glaring red flag that demands immediate and thorough internal audits within the armed forces. If such quantities of ammunition can be diverted from the frontline, the implications for national security and ongoing counterinsurgency efforts are dire.
The Nigerian Army has yet to issue an official statement, but insiders suggest that disciplinary action and further intelligence operations are already underway to unearth any collaborators.
This development underscores the urgent need for tighter surveillance, accountability, and reorientation within the military ranks to forestall internal threats in a nation already grappling with insurgency and banditry.
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