The ongoing crackdown on banditry in Zamfara State has recorded another breakthrough with the arrest of a suspected ammunition courier allegedly linked to notorious bandit leaders, including Bello Turji and Baleri.
Operatives of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards (CPG), also known as Askarawa, under the Gusau II Sector Command, apprehended the 30-year-old suspect while he was transporting ammunition concealed in a gallon of palm oil.
A search conducted on the container led to the recovery of 324 live rounds, comprising 270 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition used in AK-47 rifles and 54 rounds of MG NATO ammunition.
Speaking during a press briefing in Gusau, the Commandant of the CPG, retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Shehu Muhammad Dalijan, identified the suspect as Abdulhamid Isa, a native of Mashema Village in Zurmi Local Government Area.
He disclosed that Isa had been under surveillance by security agencies for some time due to his alleged involvement in arms trafficking.
According to Dalijan, investigations revealed that the suspect had been part of a network transporting ammunition from Nasarawa State into Zamfara to support bandit operations. His activities had reportedly raised concerns within his family, with a relative who is a member of a vigilante group previously warning him to desist.
Further findings indicated that Isa later relocated to Toto in Nasarawa State, where he operated under the cover of a commercial motorcycle rider while reconnecting with arms suppliers. Authorities say he subsequently resumed the delivery of ammunition to bandit groups, particularly to the faction led by Baleri, which has been implicated in attacks across several local government areas, including Shinkafi, Zurmi, Kaura Namoda, and Birnin Magaji.
The suspect was eventually intercepted during a coordinated operation while attempting to smuggle the ammunition using the palm oil container as a disguise.During interrogation, Isa confessed to the offence but claimed he acted under duress. He alleged that the bandit leader Baleri threatened him with violence or demanded a financial levy from his family, leaving him with little choice but to comply.
He also told investigators that the ammunition was handed to him in Nasarawa State by an individual identified as Abubakar Danfulani, who allegedly asked him to deliver the package to his mother in Zamfara. Isa said he became suspicious due to the unusual weight of the container but proceeded with the delivery.
Dalijan described the arrest as a significant step toward dismantling the logistics network sustaining banditry in the region. He added that the suspect would be transferred to relevant security agencies for further investigation and prosecution, as authorities intensify efforts to track down other members of the supply chain.
