Troops of the 17 Brigade under Operation FANSAN YANMA have arrested a suspected gunrunner allegedly linked to the supply of arms and ammunition to terrorist groups operating across the North-West.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspect, identified as Saidu Rabiu, 25, from Wagini community in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State, was apprehended on May 15, 2026, at about 10:20 a.m.
According to the sources, the troops acted on credible intelligence and swiftly mobilised to the General Hospital, Batsari, where the suspect was reportedly receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness.
The suspect was arrested at the hospital without resistance and subsequently taken into custody for further interrogation.
Preliminary investigations allegedly linked Rabiu to the supply of military-grade weapons and ammunition to several notorious terrorist kingpins operating in the region, including Bello Turji, Ado Aliero, and other criminal commanders identified as the late Kachalla Black and Yellow.
Military sources said the suspect is currently undergoing intensive interrogation as security agencies seek to dismantle wider arms trafficking networks sustaining terrorist operations in the North-West.
The arrest is considered a significant breakthrough in ongoing counter-terrorism operations aimed at disrupting logistics and weapons supply chains fueling insecurity across Katsina and neighbouring states.
By Zagazola Makama
