Troops of 93 Battalion under the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army in Taraba State have apprehended a notorious gunrunner involved in illegal dealings of arms and ammunition to criminal elements within the state and other parts of the country.
The arrest, according to the Acting Assistant Director of 6 Brigade Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Oni Olubobudude, came following credible intelligence on the activities of the arms dealer named Joshua Dutse Idah, 45.
The troops, according to the statement by Olubobududem on Thursday in Jalingo, the state capital, trailed his movement until his arrest on January 20, 2024, in Ibi town of Ibi Local Government Council, while driving to Kaduna State in a blue Volkswagen Sharon vehicle with registration number Rivers SKN-390AA.
On interrogation, Dutse allegedly confessed that he was going to Katsina State to bring in AK-47 rifles and that he received a part payment of N300,000.
After a thorough search of the vehicle, troops recovered 1 PK machine gun, 399 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition, and three AK-47 rifle magazines,” the statement reads.
The army also announced that it has clamped down on an extremist group planning to wreak havoc in some parts of the state.
The army reportedly got a tip-off on January 25, 2024, on the activities of extremist groups and insurgents around Chanchanji and Sai communities about plans to move to a drop zone where relatives of abducted victims were directed to drop ransom money.
Based on the information, troops deployed at Chanchanji laid in wait at the suspected area, and at about 10 am, Janet Igohia, 31, was arrested after picking up the sum of N1,500,000, which was a ransom payment for an abducted victim.
The arrested suspect revealed that she is presently married to Voryor Gata, a notorious criminal and former second in command to the late Gana Terwase and “the leader of a violent extremist group in southern Taraba.”
The suspect was also said to have been previously married to high-profile criminals such as the late Terkibi Gemaga, aka MOPOL, a notorious kidnapper who was killed by troops five years ago.
“She revealed that she also got married to the late Gana Terwase, another notorious criminal who was killed during Joint Special Force Operation three years ago,” the statement added.
Similarly, troops deployed at Mararaba Baissa community in Donga Local Government Area also apprehended two other suspected gunrunners who were allegedly involved in extra-judicial killings and cattle rustling. The suspects, Alhaji Adamu Damisa, 40, and Usman Isah, 44, were arrested with two Techno mobile phones and the sum of N664,000, which were proceeds from their illegal activities.
In a related development, troops of 20 Model Battalion deployed at the Forward Operating Base in Bali Council of the state were also said to have arrested a suspected violent extremist named Malam Muhammadu Shuaibu, 50, who has been on the run.
“The arrest of these criminals should also serve as a stern warning to all those involved in the illicit arms trade and other criminal acts. The suspects and the exhibits recovered will be handed over to appropriate authorities for further investigation and prosecution in line with extant laws guiding our operations,” the statement warned
