Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, on Tuesday, praised the Department of State Services (DSS) for its intelligence collaboration with the Nigerian Armed Forces, which led to the interception of a significant cache of arms and ammunition smuggled from the Niger Republic.
The governor made the commendation after inspecting the recovered weapons in Gusau, the state capital.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for providing robust support to the DSS and the military, which he said is instrumental in enhancing security in Zamfara and across Nigeria.
Governor Lawal assured that his administration would continue to back security agencies in their fight against terrorism and criminal activities in the state.
He commended the professionalism of the DSS and voiced confidence in their ability to safeguard Nigeria’s internal security.
The arms seizure was the result of a joint operation between DSS operatives and troops of Operation Hadarin Daji (Fansan Yamma). Security officials successfully trailed a notorious arms smuggler, Abubakar Umar, also known as Dangada, from Niger Republic to the Kaura Namoda-Zurmi Road on Monday and Tuesday.
The DSS operation was a result of intelligence-led security measures by the service in combating the proliferation of arms in Nigeria.
According to security sources, DSS intelligence had revealed that Umar was tasked with transporting the munitions to Birnin Magaji Local Government Area, where they were to be delivered to prominent bandit leaders, including Kachallah Atta, Alhaji Shinge, Alhaji Nashama, and an individual identified as Zaki.
The operation culminated in the interception of a red Abuja-registered Volkswagen Golf station wagon (RBC 731 GU), which the couriers abandoned after sustaining serious gunshot wounds during a shootout with security operatives.
Recovered from the vehicle were seven AK-47 rifles, two PKT general-purpose machine guns, two AK-103 rifles, 169 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition, nine PKT rounds with one chain, and 13 empty magazines.
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