Plateau: Troops Intercept Suspected Gunrunner, Recover Three Fabricated Rifles

Personnel from Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) have successfully apprehended an individual suspected of gunrunning and seized three homemade rifles during a routine patrol in Plateau State's Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.

According to intelligence sources, the arrest occurred around 10:00 a.m. on June 26, 2026. Troops belonging to Sector 4, Sub-Sector 41, Gashish, were on patrol when they intercepted a motorcycle transporting two individuals. The motorcycle was reportedly travelling from Kuba in Bokkos Local Government Area towards Maijanki Village, located in Barkin Ladi.

The military personnel grew suspicious of the motorcycle's movement and signalled for it to stop for a search. Upon noticing the troops, the passenger on the motorcycle allegedly discarded a bag they were carrying and quickly fled into the nearby bush. The motorcycle rider, identified as Alpha Nanfwang, a 21-year-old resident of Panyam in Mangu Local Government Area, was successfully apprehended after a brief chase.

A subsequent search of the abandoned bag revealed its contents: three locally manufactured rifles. During initial questioning, Nanfwang claimed that the bag belonged to the passenger who had escaped, stating he had only picked him up from Kuba.

Both the arrested suspect and the recovered firearms are currently being held in military custody. Investigations are actively underway to identify and locate the fleeing passenger, as well as to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the transportation of these weapons. Security sources indicate that troops have heightened their patrol and surveillance activities throughout the region to prevent the illicit movement of arms and to restrict criminal elements' operational freedom within Plateau State.