Kaduna: Troops arrest two for supplying arms to terrorists

Two individuals suspected of providing ammunition to terrorists were apprehended by the troops from the Nigerian Army’s 1 Division. The operation also led to the recovery of weapons and 16 motorcycles in Kaduna.

Lt.-Col. Musa Yahaya, the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for 1 Division, confirmed the arrests in a statement issued in Kaduna on Wednesday.

According to Yahaya, “Acting on credible intelligence, troops from 1 Division, Nigerian Army, arrested two collaborators of terrorists and suppliers of ammunition in the Awon general area of Kachia Local Government in Kaduna State in the early hours of October 24.”

He elaborated that the individuals were apprehended in their respective residences in the Awon area based on information provided by a previously detained collaborator.

Items seized from the suspects included a locally made AK-47 rifle, two dane guns, eight rounds of 9mm ammunition, seven live cartridges, and five expended cartridge shells. These items were discovered buried within the criminals’ compound.

In a separate development, Yahaya stated that during a clearance operation in the Dogon Daji-Saulawa general area of Birnin Gwari Local Government, troops encountered terrorists and criminal elements. A firefight ensued, causing the criminals to scatter.

The soldiers also recovered a G3 rifle, 16 motorcycles, two locally made guns, and a mobile phone.

Maj.-Gen. Valentine Okoro, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 1 Division Nigerian Army and Force Commander of Operation Whirl Punch, instructed the troops to maintain their momentum and eliminate all criminal elements within the division’s areas of responsibility.