Military busts gun-making syndicate in Kebbi

Troops of Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have dismantled an illegal arms manufacturing factory in Kebbi State, arresting two suspected gunmakers and recovering five locally fabricated rifles during an intelligence-led operation, security sources said.

The sources said the raid targeted a remote compound allegedly used to produce and distribute locally made firearms to terrorists and bandits operating across the North-West. Troops acted on credible intelligence before storming the hideout, where they recovered five AK-47-style rifles believed to have been manufactured at the facility, according to the sources.

Two suspected members of the syndicate allegedly responsible for producing and supplying the weapons were arrested during the operation, which was carried out in collaboration with other security agencies as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt the supply of illegal firearms to criminal groups in the region, the sources added.

They described the raid as a major setback for networks involved in the local production and distribution of weapons to terrorists and bandits.

The suspects are currently in custody and are being interrogated to provide information on other members of the syndicate, their financiers and the wider distribution network. Security agencies have also launched follow-up operations to track down fleeing suspects and dismantle other parts of the illegal arms manufacturing network.

Military authorities urged residents to continue supporting security operations by providing credible and timely information, stressing that public cooperation remains vital to the fight against terrorism, banditry and other forms of violent crime in the North-West.