The Zamfara State Police Command has intercepted a significant shipment of illegal firearms, arresting two suspected gunrunners during a high-stakes "stop and search" operation along the Gusau–Funtua Highway.
The breakthrough occurred on Sunday, January 11, 2026, when operatives of the Safer Highway Patrol (SHP) flagged down a suspicious vehicle. During a meticulous search of the car, officers discovered two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles hidden inside a sack. The suspects were travelling in a Volkswagen Golf with registration number ABUJA KUJ 893 CK when they were intercepted between the Kotorkoshi and Tazame areas.
The Command identified the primary suspect as Samaila Na’ibi, a resident of Kuya Village in the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State. He was arrested alongside the vehicle's driver, Samaila Aminu, who hails from the Faskari Local Government Area in neighbouring Katsina State.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed that the operation was part of a broader tactical strategy to choke off the supply lines of bandits and kidnappers operating within the region. The police spokesperson noted that the recovery of such high-calibre weaponry is a testament to the heightened vigilance of the department's operations.
"On 11th January, 2026, at about 1200 hours, operatives of the Safer Highway Patrol attached to the Department of Operations intercepted the suspects in possession of two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles concealed inside a sack," DSP Abubakar stated. He further explained that the vehicle has been impounded and the suspects are currently being held at the Kotorkoshi Divisional Police Headquarters.
The Commissioner of Police for Zamfara State, CP Ibrahim Balarabe Maikaba, has ordered a swift transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a discreet and thorough investigation. The Commissioner emphasised that the police would leave no stone unturned in identifying the intended recipients of the firearms and the source of the fabrication.
CP Maikaba reaffirmed the Command's resolve to combat the proliferation of illegal arms, which has fuelled years of instability in the state. He urged the public to remain supportive of the "stop and search" initiatives, describing them as essential tools for pre-empting criminal activity before it reaches urban centres or vulnerable rural communities.
The police have assured residents that the suspects will face legal action as soon as the investigation is concluded.
