Dismissed Police Officer Arrested for Alleged Arms Trafficking in Plateau

A dismissed police officer, identified as Danjuma Yusuf, has been arrested by troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP) over his alleged involvement in an interstate arms trafficking network operating across parts of Nigeria.

The arrest was carried out during an intelligence-led operation in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. According to security sources, Yusuf was intercepted while travelling in a white Peugeot vehicle from Jos South towards the Makera axis of Riyom. Troops of Sector 6, working in collaboration with the Headquarters of Operation ENDURING PEACE, reportedly tracked and stopped the suspect at a military checkpoint following credible intelligence on the movement of illegal arms.

A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of two locally fabricated pistols, 167 rounds of 9mm ammunition, three cans of pepper spray, and a jackknife. Security personnel also recovered two mobile phones, two cutlasses, a police identification tag, photographs showing the suspect in police uniform, two ATM cards, a National Identification Number (NIN) card, and cash amounting to ₦73,300.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Yusuf was formerly attached to Police Base 7 in Abuja before his dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force. Intelligence reports further linked him to a suspected arms trafficking syndicate allegedly supplying weapons to criminal groups involved in banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, and other violent crimes across state boundaries.

Military authorities described the arrest as a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to curb the proliferation of illegal weapons and dismantle criminal networks fueling insecurity in various parts of the country. The suspect is currently in military custody and undergoing further interrogation as investigators work to identify other members of the alleged network, including financiers, suppliers, and collaborators.

The Nigerian Army reiterated its commitment to intelligence-driven operations aimed at enhancing security and restoring peace in affected communities. Authorities also appealed to members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing efforts against criminal elements.

The arrest comes amid intensified security operations across Plateau State and other parts of the country as security agencies seek to disrupt illegal arms supply chains and combat violent crimes linked to armed groups.