Troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP) have arrested a suspected high-profile arms trafficker linked to an interstate illegal weapons network operating across parts of the country.

Military sources identified the suspect as Inspector Danjuma Yusuf, formerly attached to Nigeria Police Force Base 7, Abuja, who was reportedly dismissed from service.

The arrest followed actionable intelligence on the movement of illicit arms across state lines, culminating in a coordinated operation carried out by troops of Sector 6 in conjunction with Headquarters Operation ENDURING PEACE on Sunday, June 14, 2026.

According to military authorities, the suspect was intercepted while travelling in a white Peugeot vehicle from Jos South toward the Makera axis in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Security operatives, acting on intelligence, placed the suspect under surveillance before intercepting him at a military checkpoint in Makera.

A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of two locally fabricated pistols, 167 rounds of 9mm ammunition, three cans of pepper spray, and a jack knife

Other items recovered from the suspect include two mobile phones, two cutlasses, a police staff tag, photographs of him in police uniform, two ATM cards, a National Identification Number (NIN) card, and cash totaling ₦73,300.

Preliminary intelligence suggests that the suspect may be linked to an interstate arms trafficking syndicate allegedly involved in supplying weapons to criminal groups associated with terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes.

The suspect is currently in military custody, where further investigations and interrogation are ongoing to identify alleged associates, financiers, and supply networks connected to the operation.

Security authorities described the arrest as a significant breakthrough in efforts to curb the proliferation of illegal weapons and dismantle criminal networks across the country.

The Nigerian Army reiterated its commitment, in collaboration with other security agencies, to safeguarding lives and property while sustaining ongoing operations against threats to national security.

The military also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to assist security agencies in combating crime and restoring lasting peace.