The police in Katsina have arrested a 45-year-old man, Sani Mamuda, for allegedly supplying arms and ammunition to bandits in Katsina and Zamfara States.
Mamuda was arrested on Wednesday morning on his way to Zamfara to deliver two AK 47 rifles and two magazines loaded with 42 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition.
He was said to have concealed the weapons underneath the seat of the motorcycle he was riding to Zamfara state.
The spokesman for the Katsina Police Command, SP Gambo Isah, confirmed the arrest while Mamuda was paraded at the Command’s headquarters in Katsina on Wednesday.
Isah said, “On December 22, 2021, at about 7:30 pm, based on credible intelligence, DPO Kurfi Division and team accosted Sani Mamuda,45, of Shama village, Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara State, a notorious bandit and arms dealer who specializes in supplying weapons to bandits in the forests of Katsina and Zamfara states.
“The bandit was arrested along Kurfi-Batsari road while on transit from Katsina State to Zamfara State in possession of two AK 47 rifles, with two magazines loaded with 42 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition of AK 47 rifles concealed beneath the seat of his Boxer motorcycle, red in colour.”
Other items allegedly found on Mamuda were 12,000 CFR; N49,500; one Techno handset and two Airtel SIM cards.
The police spokesman said Mamuda confessed to have bought the two rifles at Mashi forest from one Masa’idu and one Abdullahi, who are now at large.
Mamuda, in an interview with journalists, confessed that he was taking the weapons to some bandits in Zamfara State when he was arrested.
He gave the names of the said bandits as Rabe; Lawal and Hamisu, all of Shama village, Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara state, who were also said to be at large.
Mamuda said he used to make a profit that ranges between N50,000 and N80,000 on each rifle sold.
Mamuda, who spoke in Hausa, added, “The urge to make ends meet made me go into the business about two years ago. I only supply weapons to bandits. I never killed people with the weapons.”
The police spokesman said an investigation had already begun on Mamuda’s arrest and confession, adding that he would be arraigned before a competent court after its completion.
