A security operative who sells state’s arms and ammunition to bandits has been arrested by Directorate of State Services (DSS).
The operative (yet-to-be named) was arrested with a cache of arms which he planned to sell to criminal elements for N4 million, reports The Nation.
He was arrested alongside 53 others by the Kaduna Command of the DSS during raids on dark spots in the Northwest state.
Also arrested were eight suspected bandits, 22 of their suspected informants, four gunrunners, two human traffickers, four cyber fraudsters, two vandals and 12 family members of suspected bandits.
According to Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, the arrests were made during 34 successful operations by DSS operatives in the state.
He lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the appointment of Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi as the DSS Director-General (DG).
According to the governor, Ajayi’s choice as the DSS helmsman has helped to reposition the DSS to tackle the Nigeria’s security challenges.
Uba’s commendation came on the heels of the raids carried out by the DSS men and the recovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition.
Speaking through the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), the governor expressed delight with the successes recorded by the security agency.
He noted that the DSS operatives had in addition to the arrests, recovered scores of rifles, pump action guns and several thousand rounds of ammunition within the first quarter of the year.
The commissioner, who spoke to reporters shortly after his visit to the DSS Command Headquarters in Kaduna, also commended the Service for its synergy and close collaborations with other security agencies under Ajayi’s watch.
He said: “The arms and ammunition recovered include; five AK-47 rifles, one GPMG, three RPGs guns and 5,000 rounds of ammunition of various calibres, while, 79 kidnap victims (now in the custody of the state government) were rescued by the DSS operatives.”
The arrested security operative, it was learnt, his serving in Zamfara State. The suspect allegedly claimed that he “stole the ammunition meant to fight bandits in Zamfara and environs and sold same to the bandits.”
Sources told our correspondent: “As at the time of his arrest, the serving security personnel had on him 217 rounds of assorted ammunition he planned to sell for N4 million.
“One of the suspected gunrunners according to a security source, revealed that he was arrested with 500 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition he planned to sell for N1.5 million to one Suleiman in troubled Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna State.
Another confessed that he was on his way to Katsina State to deliver 1,087 rounds of ammunition when DSS operatives nabbed him.
“His associate, who was arrested in Futua, Katsina State, said he was to deliver 701 rounds of ammunition to bandits in Zamfara State.
