In a major breakthrough for Nigeria’s security forces, notorious arms dealer Hamza Suruddubu has been arrested for allegedly supplying deadly weapons to terrorist groups wreaking havoc in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
According to sources familiar with the high-stakes operation, Suruddubu, a well-known gunrunner from Eastern Sokoto, played a crucial role in smuggling firearms from Zamfara State to bandit enclaves in Sokoto. His arrest is seen as a significant blow to the criminal networks operating in the region.
Suruddubu’s list of high-profile clients reportedly includes feared terrorist leaders such as Bello Turji, Boka, and Halilu Buzu. Security analysts further allege that his operations extended beyond arms trafficking, as he was also responsible for facilitating the movement of essential supplies, including foodstuffs and motorcycles, to criminal gangs terrorizing local communities.
In a shocking revelation, sources claim that some corrupt security operatives in Shinkafi and Isa local government areas may have been complicit in Suruddubu’s illicit trade. This has raised serious concerns about the integrity of counterterrorism efforts in the region, with growing calls for a thorough investigation into security lapses enabling criminal activities.
Meanwhile, tension is mounting over the growing influence of notorious bandit leader Bello Turji in Sokoto. A Sokoto State lawmaker, Minu Boza, recently accused Turji of imposing a staggering ₦25 million levy per village on communities in Eastern Sokoto, further tightening his grip on the region.
Read also: Lagos taskforce storm estate, arrest 53 drug traffickers
“Bello Turji is currently in the Isa and Sabon Birni axis of Sokoto. He has even imposed a ₦25 million levy per village in some communities,” Boza revealed to journalists, sounding the alarm over the urgent need for decisive action from security agencies.
However, there are indications that Turji’s reign of terror may be nearing its end. Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, disclosed that sustained military operations have severely weakened Turji’s network, leaving him with little choice but to surrender.
“He is now forced to release most of the people under him,” General Musa stated in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. “Recently, he has begun to say he doesn’t want anything; he is ready to surrender.”
With Suruddubu’s arrest and Turji’s influence reportedly dwindling, security forces may be gaining an upper hand in the fight against terrorism in Northern Nigeria. However, experts warn that without rooting out corrupt elements within the security apparatus, criminal networks may continue to find ways to thrive.
