Police arrest three gun runners, firearms over Benue killings

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have arrested a notorious arms supply syndicate responsible for arming bandits in Benue and other north-central states.

The development, Force Headquarters said, is in continuation of police investigation on the deadly attacks by bandits on communities last month in Benue State.

Force Police Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said operatives of the FID-IRT, acting on credible intelligence on the activities of some bandits who participated in the Yelwata killings on June 21, 2025, stormed the hideout of the bandits in a forest at the boundary of Kardako, Nasarawa and Yelwata, Benue States.

Adejobi, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said a fierce gun duel ensued between the police and the hoodlums, causing the bandits to flee with various degrees of gunshot injuries, adding that two GPMGs were recovered from their hideout in the process.

He further explained that on July 8, 2025, operatives of the Force Intelligence Department – Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), in a tactical operation, along the Lafia–Makurdi expressway in Makurdi, Benue State, arrested a 25-year-old Abubakar Isah in possession of three AK47 rifles and 1002 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.

“The arrest followed actionable intelligence indicating an impending arms movement intended for distribution to bandit groups known to be terrorising various communities in Benue State.

“Further investigations revealed that the arms and ammunition were supplied by a notorious arms dealer, Jacob Adikwu, operating from Abinsi, Guma Local Government area of Benue State, and was to be delivered to one Dan Hassan, a bandit kingpin known for orchestrating deadly attacks against communities across Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger, and Kwara States”, Adejobi stated.

In another related development, on July 12, 2025, FID-IRT operatives acting on credible intelligence arrested one Ibrahim a.k.a. Chelsea, who confessed to having sent the sum of N6,500,000 to the same Adikwu Jacob.

He said, “While N6,000,000 is payment for delivery of two AK47 rifles and 2000 rounds of live ammunition, N500,000 would serve as payment for construction of a compartment in the Volkswagen vehicle to conceal the said arms for transportation to Kwara State.”

In a swift follow-up clearance operation, Adejobi said the operatives stormed Abinsi town and successfully apprehended Adikwu on July 16, 2025 and recovered three AK-47 rifles, 220 rounds of live ammunition and a Volkswagen car from his hideout.

The police said further investigation on July 17, 2025, led to the recovery of an additional five AK-47 rifles, one rocket launcher, and 1,000 rounds of live ammunition from the same arms dealer.

He said efforts were being intensified to ensure that Dan Hassan and other criminal elements responsible for terrorising Benue State and other parts of the country were brought to book, while others in custody will have their day in court upon conclusion of investigation.