FCT police nab suspected arms dealers
Men of the FCT Police Command on Sunday arrested three suspected arms dealers, who were alleged to have imported arms cache from Niger Republic.
According to a police source, on Sunday at about 1530 hours, while policemen were on patrol/ stop and search, they intercepted a Peugeot 406 ash coloured car by a bridge along Zuba road.
The source said upon search, two riffles were found with them: an AK 47 riffle and AK 49 riffle, with 56 rounds of live ammunition and three magazines. “Immediately, they were moved to Zuba Division. The three suspects, during interrogation, confessed to belonging to a gang which specialised in seizing trucks loaded with rice, sugar, flour or cement.’’
According to the source, the suspects always hang out at rest place of truck drivers with their arms and dispossessed the drivers of their car keys, taking the conductors hostage before moving the trucks.
The source added that after stealing the trucks, they will sell the contents and the trucks and shared the proceeds.
When contacted, FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent Hyelhira Altine Daniel, confirmed the incident.
She said the suspects operated along Makwa-Jeba road as well as Makira road respectively.
She also said: “The arms, according to them, were brought from Niger Republic by a friend of theirs, who sells it to them. Other items recovered from them included nine phones of different makes and the sum of N57,000 cash.”
The police spokesperson said the three men were friends from Kebbi State and that they formed the gang which robbed truck owners and even kidnap their conductors.
She advised truck owners and drivers to be vigilant when they