Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Department of State Services (DSS) for their decisive efforts in dismantling a gunrunning syndicate and recovering a cache of arms and ammunition through coordinated covert operations in the state.
The governor described the successful sting operation as a significant boost to ongoing security reforms under his administration’s Kaduna Peace Model, emphasising that there will be no hiding place for bandits, arms traffickers, or their collaborators.
Speaking through the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), Sani said the operation demonstrates that Kaduna’s peace framework, based on intelligence sharing, inter-agency collaboration, and community engagement, is delivering tangible results.
“There must be some bad eggs who want to rubbish government’s efforts, but the DSS in Kaduna has done wonderfully well. This is the kind of result we get when institutions work together,” he said.
The governor praised the synergy among security agencies, noting that sustained collaboration has made Kaduna one of the most stable states in the Northwest. “His Excellency has been consistent in supporting all security agencies, and that teamwork is paying off,” he added.
Sani reiterated that the Kaduna Peace Model remains both preventive and proactive, combining non-kinetic engagement with actionable intelligence. He stated that the approach has significantly reduced crime rates and is now being studied by other states as a model for promoting peace and stability.
The governor expressed appreciation to President Tinubu and the Director-General of the DSS for strengthening the state’s security architecture, noting that Kaduna has witnessed improved coordination and operational efficiency under their leadership.
He also urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies. “When you see something, say something. Your identity will be protected. Together, we will keep Kaduna safe,” he assured.
Our correspondent gathered that the DSS arrested three suspects linked to a major gunrunning network supplying weapons to bandit groups across the North. The suspects were apprehended in separate covert operations in Igabi and Kachia local government areas.
The first suspect, aged 30, was intercepted along Nnamdi Azikiwe Bypass in Igabi while transporting arms concealed in sacks of maize. Recovered items included two AK-47 rifles, one PKT machine gun, 220 rounds of live ammunition, and four empty magazines. Two others, aged 44 and 38, were later arrested along the Kaduna–Abuja expressway with three AK-47 rifles, three magazines, and ₦69,050 hidden in their vehicle.
Findings revealed that the weapons were being transported to a notorious bandit network in Niger State, with Kaduna serving as a transit route.
Security sources said the DSS is intensifying efforts to track down other members of the syndicate and dismantle their operations across the Northwest.
The source added that President Tinubu has directed the service to dismantle the entire ring of the gunrunning syndicate, including their sources and the bandits they are supplying with arms.
