The Police in Zamfara State have apprehended a 41-year old ex-corporal of the Nigerian Army, Saidu Lawal, for being in possession of Ak47, Ak49 and 500 hundred rounds of live ammunition.
Saidu was intercepted along Kaduna-Abuja Expressway by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, SWAT, in a Pontiac Salon car with Lagos registration number KRD 686 CY.
The investigating team searched the vehicle and recovered the two guns and hundreds of live ammunition hidden in the car.
Upon interrogation, Lawal an indigene of Zamfara, confessed that he was collaborating with one Loko from Nasarawa State to run an errand for a notorious bandit leader, Hamza Dogo, who has been wreaking havoc in Zamfara.
The Spokesman of the Zamfara State Command, who paraded the suspect at the Command’s headquarters, Mohammed Shehu, and Superintendent of Police, said the suspect served with Nigeria Army 73 battalion janguza Kano barracks before his retirement in 2021.
He said that the suspect was one of the criminals disturbing Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, Kebbi and Sokoto States.
He said, “On behalf of the Commissioner of Police Zamfara State Command, CP Kolo Yusuf psc, I welcome you to our Press Conference here in the Police Command Headquarters Gusau, where we will parade a notorious kidnapper who specialises in Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Gun Running and other heinous crimes.
“On August 27, 2022, at about 1730hrs, Police Tactical/Escort Team attached to the Commissioner of Police Zamfara State Police Command, CP Kolo Yusuf psc acted on actionable intelligence that led to the arrest of the suspect who was ex-service personnel of the Nigeria Army attached 73 Battalion Janguza Army Barracks Kano.
“The suspect was intercepted with a Pontiac Vibe vehicle with registration number KRD 686 CY Lagos, along Abuja – Kaduna enroute Zamfara State.”
“Exhibits recovered include; 1 AK-47 Rifle Breech No. Q971987 ,1 AK-49 Rifle Breech No. 34-7094, 200 7.6mm Rounds of Live Ammunition, 501 7.62X51mm Rounds of GPMG Live Ammunition and 8 Empty Magazines.
“In the course of interrogation, the suspect confessed that he was to convey the said exhibits from Loko LGA of Nasarawa State to his customer one Dogo Hamza ‘M’ of Bacha village in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State.
“The suspect further confessed that he had previously supplied the same consignment to his other customers in Kaduna, Katsina, Niger and Kebbi States respectively.”
