GOMBE — In a major breakthrough against the logistics chains of banditry, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have dismantled a sophisticated arms-running syndicate, seizing Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and a launcher during a high-stakes intercept in Gombe State.
The covert operation, which climaxed on Tuesday following three weeks of intensive surveillance, saw the arrest of two key suspects identified as Muhammed Alhaji Mohammed, 55, and Sani Gesha, 47. The duo was intercepted at Mararaban Tula in Kaltungo Local Government Area while transporting the lethal cargo in a grey Toyota Corolla with registration number Taraba JAL475YQ.
Firepower for Hire
A search of the vehicle by the secret police uncovered a chilling arsenal hidden within the car. Recovered items include:
- Two Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) warheads.
- One RPG launcher.
- Logistical items and documents linking the suspects to established bandit networks across the North-East.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed that the heavy weaponry was destined for a notorious contact, Ardo Hamma Ari, based in Kukawa Village, Alkaleri LGA of Bauchi State. The confession has provided investigators with a roadmap of the “arms corridor” spanning Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, and Adamawa states.
Rescue of an Innocent
Beyond the weapons haul, the DSS operation yielded an unexpected humanitarian victory. Operatives successfully rescued a six-year-old boy, Mohammed Jabir, at Gyada Village in Balanga LGA. Security sources believe the child was being held by the criminal network, though the exact motive for his abduction is still being scrutinized.
Cutting the Supply Line
The bust comes amid a wider crackdown by the DSS on the “middlemen” who fuel insecurity by supplying high-grade military hardware to bandits in the forests.
“This is a significant dent in the operational capacity of the bandits in this axis,” a senior security source noted. “Moving RPGs through public roads shows the audacity of these syndicates, but the net is closing in.”
The suspects remain in custody at the DSS facility as the service intensifies efforts to track down the remaining members of the syndicate and their high-profile buyers in the region.
