By: Zagazola Makama
In a decisive strike against arms trafficking and insurgency in Nigeria’s North-Central region, operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID–IRT) have arrested two notorious arms traffickers in Abinsi town, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. The arrests mark a significant milestone in the country’s intensified clampdown on illegal arms proliferation.
Highly-placed sources within the Benue State Police Command confirmed the dramatic bust on Thursday, hailing it as a “critical breakthrough” in ongoing efforts to dismantle gunrunning networks that have long fueled violence and instability across the region.
According to the sources, the suspects — led by the infamous Adikwu Ikwulono, a well-known kingpin in Nigeria’s shadowy arms market — were tracked and apprehended on Wednesday following a high-stakes intelligence operation.
The operation yielded a staggering cache of deadly weaponry, including:
One rocket-propelled grenade launcher
Five AK-47 assault rifles
Thousands of rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition
Preliminary investigations have unearthed a chilling plot: the arms were reportedly en route to a syndicate of armed herders and bandits operating near the volatile Benue–Nasarawa border. Security operatives believe the group was planning coordinated attacks on multiple vulnerable communities in Benue State.
“The suspects are currently undergoing intensive interrogation at the FID headquarters. Meanwhile, efforts are in top gear to track down and apprehend other members of the syndicate,” a senior police source revealed.
This latest development underscores the increasingly sophisticated tactics employed by criminal groups and the urgent need for sustained intelligence-led operations. The FID–IRT has reaffirmed its commitment to neutralizing the networks arming violent non-state actors and restoring lasting peace across the country’s troubled zones.
Authorities are urging citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities as the manhunt continues for accomplices linked to the gun-smuggling ring.
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