Retired soldier caught supplying bandits ammunition

Police officers in Zamfara have arrested a former soldier and notorious bandit who also supplies arms to terrorists in the northwestern state.

The suspect, Sa’idu Lawal, is said to have been terrorising communities in Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, and Kaduna states.

Sa’idu Lawal, a native of Zamfara State, voluntarily retired from the Nigerian Army in 2021 but has been supplying arms to bandits in the North West region.

He was arrested by troops along Kaduna- Abuja highway while on his way to supply weapons to a notorious bandit leader terrorising communities in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Dogo Hamza.

While parading the suspect in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Shehu, said the suspect was intercepted after the Police Tactical Squad and escort team attached to the commissioner of police in Zamfara State received actionable intelligence.

On 27th August 2022 at about 1730hrs, the Police Tactical/Escort Team attached to the Commissioner of Police Zamfara State Police Command, CP Kolo Yusuf acted on actionable intelligence that led to the arrest of the above-named suspect who was ex-service personnel of the Nigeria Army attached to 73 Battalion Janguza Army Barracks Kano. The suspect was intercepted with a Pontiac Vibe vehicle with registration number KRD 686 CY Lagos, along Abuja – Kaduna enroute Zamfara State. A search was conducted on the spot and the above-mentioned exhibits were recovered in his possession.”

Continuing, Shehu said, “In the course interrogation, the suspect confessed that he was to convey the said exhibits from Loko LGA of Nasarawa State to his customer one Dogo Hamza ‘M’ of Bacha village in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State. The suspect further confessed that he had previously supplied the same consignment to his other customers in Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, and Kebbi states respectively.”

The suspect, Sa’idu, who confessed to the crime said he was arrested along Kaduna-Abuja Expressway while transporting two AK-47 rifles and other ammunitions from Nasarawa State to Zamfara State

The forty-one-year-old suspect said he was paid N200,000 per trip and has collected N300,000 from his accomplice

Two AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, 501 live ammunition, and a Pontiac vehicle were recovered from him.