A Chief Magistrate Court in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, has sentenced three individuals to 10 years imprisonment without the option of a fine after convicting them for arms trafficking following their arrest by operatives of the Department of State Services.
The convicts, Sakina Garba, Ali Gono and Ibrahim Abdulrashid, were apprehended between January and February 2026 after intelligence reports uncovered an alleged attempt to transport illegal weapons and ammunition within the state.
Security sources said the suspects were intercepted along the Wukari–Jalingo Road after leaving Bantaje Village in Wukari Local Government Area. The weapons were reportedly hidden inside two sacks filled with food items and were allegedly being transported to a suspected bandit leader.
Investigators disclosed that the recovered exhibits included one AK-47 rifle, 984 rounds of 7.6mm ammunition, 105 rounds of 7.82mm ammunition and 14 AK-47 magazines. Security operatives also recovered three point of sale machines and ₦200,200 in cash concealed inside the sacks.
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In a related development at the Federal High Court in Abuja, another suspect, Halima Haliru Umar, pleaded guilty to charges of illegal possession of 302 rounds of live ammunition after the items were presented in court by DSS operatives.
The presiding judge, Haywa Joseph Yilwatda, adjourned the case until May 8 for sentencing.
During the hearing, a witness from the Department of State Services told the court that the suspect was arrested in Plateau State while allegedly attempting to deliver the ammunition to a wanted bandit leader.
Prosecutors also tendered the recovered ammunition, investigation report, the suspect’s statements and cash exhibits as evidence before the court.
The convictions and ongoing prosecution underscore growing security efforts by Nigerian authorities to dismantle arms trafficking networks believed to be fuelling banditry and violent crime across several parts of the country.
