Operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested several suspects allegedly involved in the supply of arms and illicit drugs to bandits operating across different parts of the country.
The arrests were disclosed on Tuesday during a press briefing in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin.
Hundeyin said two suspected arms suppliers, John Magah, 45, and Ishaya Stephen, 43, were arrested during an ongoing investigation. He revealed that Magah is a local gun fabricator who facilitates the sale of arms and ammunition to bandits.
According to him, operatives recovered one AK-47 rifle, one magazine, one pump-action gun and four live cartridges from the suspects. Investigations further revealed that the duo had been supplying weapons to bandits and to another suspect, Daudume Bayina, who has also been arrested.
He added that the suspects had been involved in arms trafficking for over five years, operating within Adamawa State and along the Cameroonian border, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate.
In a separate operation, the police arrested a suspected drug supplier, Ifeanyi Egbeke, 40, on November 2, 2025, in Kaduna State. Hundeyin said Egbeke was intercepted in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), with exhibits including rolls and packets of tramadol, 326 bottles of codeine, BP injection syrups, Hypnos tablets and Indian hemp.
Investigations revealed that Egbeke allegedly supplied illicit drugs to bandits operating in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto states.
The police also announced the arrest of an alleged gunrunner, Salisu Mohammed, also known as Mande Dawa, in Birnin Tasaba village, Zumi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Recovered from him were one AK-47 rifle, two magazines and 32 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition concealed in a 50kg bag of millet. He reportedly confessed to delivering weapons to bandits along the Obajana axis of Kogi State.
Another suspect, Uchenna Ikpe, was arrested while driving a trailer from Lagos to Abuja, in which 24 bags of Indian hemp were concealed. He allegedly admitted that he was to deliver the drugs to Abuja for a fee of ₦150,000.
Hundeyin further disclosed the arrest of Yunana Iliya, also known as Bado, 34, in Kaduna State over alleged arms dealing and kidnapping. Five AK-47 rifles and 150 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the suspect, who reportedly confessed to supplying arms to bandits and participating in the kidnapping of four children.
The police spokesman said investigations were ongoing in all the cases, adding that efforts had been intensified to arrest other suspects linked to the criminal networks.
