By Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 2, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have dismantled an illegal arms manufacturing syndicate and recovered five locally fabricated rifles during an intelligence-led operation in Kebbi State.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation targeted a secluded compound allegedly being used by the syndicate to manufacture and supply locally made firearms to terrorist and bandit groups operating across the North-West.
The sources said troops, acting on credible intelligence, raided the hideout and conducted a thorough search of the premises, leading to the recovery of five locally fabricated AK-47-style rifles.
Two suspected members of the syndicate, believed to be involved in the production and distribution of the illicit weapons, were arrested during the operation.
According to the sources, the raid was carried out in collaboration with other security agencies, highlighting the growing inter-agency cooperation in ongoing counter-terrorism and anti-banditry operations in the region.
The sources described the operation as a significant blow to criminal networks supplying locally fabricated weapons to armed groups, noting that efforts to disrupt the illicit arms trade remain a key component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA’s campaign against terrorism and banditry.
The arrested suspects are currently in custody and are undergoing interrogation to provide intelligence on other members of the syndicate, their financiers, and the distribution network supplying weapons to criminal elements.
Security agencies have also launched follow-up operations to apprehend fleeing suspects and dismantle the remaining components of the illegal arms manufacturing network.
Military authorities urged residents across the North-West to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to ongoing efforts to rid the region of terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements.
The heartbreaking scenes captured in these two videos reflect the painful reality of the protracted violence in Plateau State. In one, grieving Fulani families bury loved ones reportedly killed in an attack attributed to armed Berom militia. In the other, a Berom youth leader mourns the loss of his people and accuses armed Fulani assailants of killing innocent residents. Though the narratives differ, the grief is the same. Families on both sides continue to bury their dead while communities live in fear, trapped in an endless cycle of retaliation.
The greatest tragedy is that criminal elements within both the Fulani and Berom communities continue to operate with the protection or silence of those who should reject them. As long as killers are shielded because they share the same ethnic identity as their victims’ neighbours, innocent lives will continue to be lost. Peace cannot be achieved through revenge or collective blame. It will only come when communities unite to expose criminals, support justice, and refuse to allow ethnic loyalties to become a cover for murder. The question remains: When will this end?
