 has foiled a major terror plot by intercepting a large consignment of weapons and ammunition smuggled into the country from Niger Republic.){kind=link}
With just about 65 days to the 2027 general elections, the Department of State Services (DSS) has foiled a major terror plot by intercepting a large consignment of weapons and ammunition smuggled into the country from Niger Republic.
The weapons which include 21 AK-47 rifles, 4 PKT machine guns and 825 magazines, were intercepted by DSS officers in Dawakawa, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, following surveillance of terror cells seeking to move weapons into Nigeria ahead of the polls.
A security source disclosed that due to increased interception of illegal weapons by the DSS nationwide, terror groups have resorted to using women and beasts of burden, particularly camels, to move arms.
The source added that the Service has tracked one of the field commanders tasked with causing mayhem ahead of and during the elections.
Earlier in the week, DSS operatives in Talata Mafara LGA of Zamfara State arrested another suspected female arms courier, Hafsat Umar.
Umar, who was arrested with 12 grenades and two ammunition belts, is the 14th female illegal arms courier arrested by the DSS between February 2025 and November 2026.
Intelligence indicated that the suspect travelled to Niger State to source ammunition for delivery to a notorious bandit leader, Saidu Marafa, based in Kani Kawa, Maradun LGA of Zamfara.
The arrests span Zamfara, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Taraba, Kaduna and Plateau States.
Notable among them was Aisha Mohammed, apprehended last month in Keffi, Nasarawa State, while allegedly conveying arms and ammunition through a notorious arms dealer and kidnapper identified simply as Sani. Recovered from her were 202 rounds of 7.62mm AK-47 ammunition and three empty magazines.
In September 2026, two female couriers, Chika Aguzie and Blessing Nwamba, were arrested at separate locations in Ebonyi State over alleged involvement in supply of weapons and explosives to commanders of the proscribed Eastern Security Network (ESN), including Chinonso Amobi Okafor a.k.a Temple and B44, reportedly based in Anambra State. Fourteen wraps of IED detonators were recovered.
In August, DSS arrested one Rabiatu Halidu on Abacha Road, Karu LGA of Nasarawa State with 501 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
In February, officers arrested one Aisha Ibrahim in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara with 975 rounds of ammunition.
In January, Sakina Muhammad and Badariyya Abubakar were arrested along Wukari-Jalingo Road, Taraba State, with one AK-47 rifle, 984 rounds of special ammunition, 105 rounds of GPMG ammunition and 14 empty magazines.
The Service also recorded several arrests in 2025, including Rahane Sanusi in Talata Mafara LGA of Zamfara, caught while conveying ammunition from an illegal arms dealer in Sokoto to a notorious bandit, Ibrahim Bare a.k.a Baba, in Anka LGA. Also arrested were Suwaiba Abubakar, Halima Umar, Firdausi Haruna, Saidya Ibrahim and Fatima Sani, with varying quantities of arms and ammunition recovered.
Early this year, the Federal High Court, Abuja, convicted some women for terrorism-related cases involving female arms couriers arrested by the DSS. In two instances, three female couriers identified as Halima Abdullahi, Safiya Salihu and Halima Umar were convicted and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment each.
“Like the others before her, Hafsat Umar will also be charged to court, and the DSS will use intelligence at its disposal to bring other criminals to justice,” a security source said.
“The DSS will continue to leverage actionable intelligence and sustained tactical operations to identify and apprehend all individuals involved in illegal arms trade and bring them to justice,” the source added.
Credit: Channels TV