Nigerian Army troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have intercepted a large cache of ammunition hidden in a commercial vehicle along the Maiduguri–Kaduna road.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the troops deployed at a checkpoint in Nafada, en route to Gombe, discovered the consignment when the driver of the vehicle raised suspicion about a waybill package he was asked to transport.
Sources said that the driver was given a carefully wrapped bag in Maiduguri to deliver in Kaduna, along with the contact of the person who was to receive it.
The driver, who was unaware of the contents, became suspicious of the package and alerted soldiers at the checkpoint. Upon inspection, the troops discovered that the bag contained a large quantity of ammunition.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the consignment was linked to a soldier allegedly serving with Sector 2 in Damaturu, Yobe State. The sector has since been alerted to trace and arrest the suspect.
Security sources described the interception as a major breakthrough in efforts to cut the flow of arms fueling insecurity in the North-East and North-West.
“This is a disturbing development, particularly because of the alleged involvement of a personnel. The case is already under investigation to identify all those connected to it,” a source said.
The interception has once again brought into sharp focus the link between the arms trade and Nigeria’s insecurity. With the Maiduguri–Kaduna corridor serving as a major route, analysts warn that traffickers will continue to exploit unsuspecting drivers, commercial vehicles, and porous checkpoints unless stricter monitoring measures are enforced.
