The Department of State Services (DSS) has intercepted a large consignment of weapons and ammunition allegedly smuggled into Nigeria from the Niger Republic using camels.
The operation took place on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, in Dawakawa, Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
According to security sources, the operation followed intelligence gathering and surveillance targeting suspected weapons trafficking networks operating along the Nigeria-Niger border.
The recovered weapons included 21 AK-47 rifles, four PKT machine guns and 825 magazines.
Reports indicate that suspected traffickers had resorted to using camels to transport the weapons through remote routes and difficult terrain in an attempt to avoid detection by security operatives.
The interception is considered a significant disruption of suspected arms supply networks believed to be supporting armed groups operating in Nigeria’s North-West region.
The development comes amid growing security concerns over the movement of illegal weapons across Nigeria’s borders, particularly in areas affected by banditry, kidnapping and attacks on rural communities.
Security sources also indicated that criminal groups had increasingly adopted unconventional methods of transporting weapons following intensified operations and arrests by security agencies.
The latest seizure comes less than 70 days before Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, raising further concerns about the possible use of illegal weapons to threaten public safety and disrupt the electoral process.
In a related development, DSS operatives reportedly arrested a suspected female arms courier, Hafsat Umar, earlier in the week in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
She was allegedly found with 12 grenades and two ammunition belts. Security sources said she was suspected of sourcing ammunition for delivery to a bandit leader identified as Saidu Marafa, who operates in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The DSS is expected to use information obtained from the operation to identify other individuals involved in the suspected arms trafficking network, including the suppliers and intended recipients of the recovered weapons.
