Police nabs 3 transporting AK-47, Ak-49, multiple-barrelled guns, ammunition to Niger

Their age—young—and looks—fragile—will not readily give away Muhammadu Bello, Nura Umar, and Habib Sani.

But they are hardened criminals that fabricated and transported different calibres of guns: AK-47, Ak-49, double-barrelled, triple-barrelled.

When the Niger State Police command arrested them along the Makera-Mokwa highway during the week, no fewer than 500 rounds of ammunition and 81 guns were found in their vehicles.

Parading the suspects in Minna, Police Commissioner Monday Bala Kuryas said the suspects were arrested by the Police Safer Highway on patrol.

According to him, the said driver (Bello) refused to stop at the check-point for a routine check, but after a hot chase by the Police team to Sabon Makera village, they abandoned the vehicle and took off.

But with the help of the community,  Bello, 32, and Umar, 30, were later arrested.

What they two stacked up in the vehicle included two (AK-47 rifles, two AK-49 rifles, 16 magazines, 417 live ammunition of 7.62 calibre, 150 RPG live ammunition.

He stated that when questioned, they claimed that the arms were being taken from Sokoto to one Yellow at Mokwa.

Kuryas also said the third suspect, Sani aged 25, from Knati, Mashegu LGA,was no part of the syndicate.

He was earlier arrested in possession of 14 locally fabricated guns concealed in a sack while on transit in a commercial vehicle from Kanti village to Guffanti, New-Bussa Borgu LGA.

The guns comprised six double barrel and eight triple barrel guns.

“Sani confessed that the guns were given to him by a local fabricator called Bilya to deliver to one Bulus of Guffanti village and that he was given the commission of N1,000 on each gun if he delivered them successfully.

“Effort is ongoing to apprehend Bilya and Bulus who are currently at large.

“All the cases are under investigation while suspects will be arraigned in court for prosecution as soon as investigation is concluded,” he added.

Niger is battling the twin evils of terrorism and banditry currently, with some LGAs aready occupied by Boko Haram terrorists.