The tactical team of 3 Division/Operation Safe Haven has arrested eight suspects and also recovered a cache of arms and ammunition at Faan district in Barking Ladi local government area of Plateau states.
Military Information Officer, Operation Safe Haven, Major S.N Zhakom in a statement issued Thursday recalled that the troops while conducting operation to recover arms from a gunrunners’ hideout at Sangasa Village in Fann District were attacked in the early hours of 10 July, 2024.
He explained that during the operation, a member of the team, an Assistant Superintendent of Immigration CL Agwom, was killed by the criminals.
Zhakom said that following the incident, troops conducted a follow-on operation in the district to recover illegal arms and ammunition and other dangerous weapons in line with the core mandate of the operation.
He added: “During the operations that lasted for one week, the team arrested 8 suspects and recovered both automatic and locally fabricated weapons as well as different calibres of ammunition from Ratas, Ratoso and Sangasa Villages all in Fann District in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State.”
Zhakom revealed that the troops recovered 12 AK-47 rifles, 12 fabricated AK-47 rifles, 15 dane guns,15 AK-47 magazine, one AK-47 drum magazine having capacity of 75 rounds, 250 rounds of 7.62 mm (Special).
Others are: Two cartridges, two bottles of gunpowder, one sword, one complete pair of military woodland camouflage dress, one pair of military combat boots, two spears, one bow and eight arrows and Seven motorcycles.
Zhakom added: “The huge recoveries of arms, ammunition and other dangerous weapons as well as military uniforms from Fann District in just one week further affirms that the district is a criminal enclave.
“Hence, the false propaganda by miscreants and other misguided persons are merely to divert attention from the large cache of weapons in the hands of unauthorized persons in the district.”
Zhakom Let reiterated that 3 Division/Operation Safe Haven haven will leave no stone unturned in its quest to mop up illegal arms and ammunition within the Joint Operations Area in line with its mandate.
As part of efforts to arrest criminals complicit in criminal activities in Fann District and environs, the four persons were declared wanted by security agencies.
They are: Mr Timothy Zakka Dung also known as Timaya, Mr Sam P, Dachun Jobans Yakubu Ishaku.
Zhakom said any person with useful information on the whereabouts of the wanted suspects should kindly contact the closest security outpost