Haruna Yusuf, a Niger Republic national, and his two sons were on Monday paraded by the police in Katsina State, over alleged involvement in banditry and gunrunning.
The 47-year-old resident of Muduru village in Mani Local Government Area of state was arrested for running a syndicate supplying arms from Niger Republic to bandits in Zamfara and Katsina.
According to the state commissioner for police, Sanusi Buba, the suspect was arrested with his sons, Ibrahim Salisu, 20, and Shuaibu Haruna, 18, and other suspected members of the syndicate identified as Haruna Yusuf, 47, of Sawarya village, Kaita local government of Katsina, Haruna Adamu, 35, Auwal Abubakar, 28, both of Maduru village in Mani LGA of the state.
Buba said Yusuf confessed to sourcing arms and ammunition from Niger Republic for one Lawan Zayyana, Adamu and Abubakar, who supply them to bandits in the forest.
“He confessed to have sold over 10,000 arms and ammunition to bandits in the forest.
“Furthermore, Haruna Adamu and Auwal Abubakar confessed to have severally (sic) trafficked these arms and ammunition to bandits at Gurbi and Dan-Magaji areas in Zamfara State,” Buba said.
The police recovered two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), one LAR rifle, 179 Anti-Aircraft (AA) ammunition and about N3.4 million CFA Franc from the suspects.
The command also paraded Murtala Haruna, 20, nephew of the arms dealer, Ibrahim Dabo, 19, from Natsinta village, Kandamau, Maradi, Niger Republic, Sambo Muhammadu, 22, and Jibir Adamu, 20.
Others are: Sani Ibrahim, 20, Yusufa Muhammadu, 28, Abubakar Muhammadu, 26, Abdullahi Dabo, 28, Murtala Ado, 20, Sani Muhammad, 29, and Umar Bello, 28, all of Natsinta village, Kandamau, Maradi, Niger Republic.
