The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a suspected arms courier in Kano State over an alleged attempt to transport a cache of weapons destined for a notorious bandit leader operating in Zamfara State.
Security sources disclosed that the suspect was intercepted during a targeted intelligence-led operation in the Gezawa area of Kano State, following surveillance on suspected arms trafficking movements across the North-West region.
The arrest reportedly led to the recovery of several weapons, including AK-47 rifles and rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) tubes, which were allegedly being moved to criminal elements engaged in banditry and armed violence in Zamfara and surrounding states.
According to officials familiar with the operation, the suspect is believed to be part of a wider arms supply network that services armed groups responsible for attacks on rural communities, kidnappings, and cattle rustling across the North-West.
The DSS said the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal logistics networks and cut off the flow of illegal arms fueling insecurity in the region.
Investigations are currently ongoing to identify other members of the syndicate and trace the source of the weapons. The suspect is expected to be prosecuted upon the conclusion of investigations.
Security agencies have intensified coordinated operations across Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, and Zamfara states in recent months as part of renewed efforts to curb banditry and terrorism-related activities in the region.
