Nigerian troops under Operation Enduring Peace have uncovered an illegal arms manufacturing site in Gwandanu Village, Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau State, arresting two suspects allegedly involved in producing illicit firearms.
The raid, carried out around 5pm on Wednesday, led to the discovery of a covert workshop where the suspects were reportedly caught fabricating sophisticated weapons.
According to a statement by Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, troops recovered several weapons and equipment used in the production process during the operation.
Items seized from the site include two AK-47 rifles and one G3 rifle, along with industrial tools such as generating sets, a welding machine, a drilling machine, a hand filler, and a toolbox used for arms fabrication.
In a separate security operation in Gidan Waya, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, troops reportedly repelled an attack on personnel of the Forest Guards and the Vigilante Group of Nigeria.
Security sources said the attackers were pursued towards the Jaginde Forest axis, but fled after spotting advancing troops near Ungwar Maruwa, abandoning a motorcycle in the process.
One suspect was later arrested, and a search of the area led to the recovery of additional weapons, including an AK-47 rifle, an AK-49 rifle, a motorcycle, and a sleeping mat.
The military confirmed that the arrested suspects are currently in custody and undergoing interrogation to determine possible links to wider criminal networks involved in arms trafficking and violent crime.
Troops have also intensified mop-up operations in the affected regions to recover more weapons and track down fleeing suspects.
The Joint Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to combating illegal arms proliferation and enhancing security across its areas of operation, while urging residents to provide timely and credible intelligence to security agencies.
