Police in Zamfara have detained a 58-year-old Algerian national for alleged cross-border arms trafficking.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Mohammed Dalijan, made this known in Gusau on Tuesday.

He said the police recovered 16 AK47 rifles during various raids in the last three weeks.

He said the command also recovered a double barrel and a locally made pistol from an alleged arms manufacturer based in Jos, Plateau.

“The command, acting on intelligence, tracked down and arrested an arms manufacturer in Jos, tracked down and arrested a regional arms trafficker from Algeria at the Illela border crossing.

“The Algerian suspect told the police that he has been committing this crime for eight years.

“The suspect supplies arms and ammunition to thugs in all parts of the North West states.
“At the time of arrest, four AK47s were recovered from him,” he said.
Dalijan said the police have also detained several suspects, including thug motorcycle suppliers.

“Police recovered live ammunition and N2. 5 million in cash, among others from the suspects,” he said.

The police, he said, also arrested several illegal gold miners and recovered several mining excavators.

The commissioner warned that the federal and state governments’ ban on illegal mining is still in place.