Judiciary hands down decade-long jail terms to trio detained by secret police over illicit weapons trading

In a significant ruling, the Chief Magistrate Court Grade 1 in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, has found three individuals guilty of arms trafficking and subsequently sentenced them to a decade-long prison term without the option of a fine.

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The three convicts, identified as Sakina Garba, Ali Gono, and Ibrahim Abdulrashid, were apprehended by the Department of State Services between January and February 2026.

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A separate case unfolded in a Federal High Court in Abuja, where a woman named Halima Haliru Umar, who was also arrested by DSS operatives, pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of 302 rounds of live ammunition.

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The arrests in Taraba State were made possible by intelligence that exposed the plans of the suspects to transport arms and ammunition from Bantaje village in Wukari LGA, Taraba State, to a notorious bandit kingpin.

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Security sources revealed that the suspects were intercepted along the Wukari-Jalingo road, with the incriminating items concealed in two sacks of food.

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A detailed search of the sacks uncovered one AK-47 rifle, 984 rounds of 7.6mm ammunition, and 105 rounds of 7.82mm ammunition, in addition to 14 AK-47 rifle magazines, three POS machines, and N200,200 in cash.

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In the Federal High Court in Abuja, the trial judge, Justice Haywa Joseph Yilwatda, adjourned the matter involving Halima Umaru until May 8, 2025, for sentencing, after she pleaded guilty to the charge.

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Earlier, a witness from the DSS had recounted how the suspect was arrested in Plateau State while in possession of 302 live rounds of ammunition, which she intended to deliver to a notorious bandit leader.

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The DSS witness tendered the recovered ammunition, investigation report, defendant's statements, and the money found on her as evidence.

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The successful operations, according to sources, highlight the ongoing efforts by the DSS to dismantle arms supply chains linked to banditry and terrorism in Nigeria.