Ahmed Abubakar, a 32-year-old man allegedly attempting to procure ammunition for bandits in Zamfara State, was apprehended by the FCT Police Command on 7 December 2025, acting on “credible intelligence”.
Abubakar, originally from Gusau but residing in Anguwan Dodo, Gwagwalada, was arrested at around 3:30 pm by operatives of the Command’s Tactical Team. According to the police, he had been in communication with another suspect, identified as a serving soldier named Yusuf Mohammed, regarding a plan to purchase 1,000 rounds of ammunition intended for delivery to bandit groups.
During preliminary investigations, Abubakar reportedly confessed that he was acting on instructions from his uncle, Ahmed Yakubu described as a key accomplice who is currently on the run. Police believe Yakubu sent his nephew to source and transport the ammunition to Zamfara, where bandits continue their campaign of attacks in rural communities.
The police said that Abubakar is currently in custody and undergoing further interrogation, while efforts have been stepped up to arrest the fleeing accomplice and dismantle the wider criminal network behind the supply of ammunition.
This arrest is the latest in a series of operations targeting arms-supply lines feeding banditry and terrorism across north-western Nigeria. Security agencies have in recent years intercepted multiple caches of weapons and ammunition destined for gang camps.
In its statement, the FCT Police Command reassured the public of its determination to prevent criminal activity and protect residents across the Federal Capital Territory. Citizens have been urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious behaviour via designated emergency contact lines.
Authorities are treating the arrest as a critical blow to the supply chain of weapons fueling violent bandit attacks. The hope is that this breakthrough will disrupt the flow of illicit arms to forest-based criminal groups, which have terrorised communities in Zamfara and surrounding states for years.
