Nigerian Airforce Parades Six for Arms Theft in Adamawa

Nigerian Airforce Parades Six for Arms Theft in Adamawa

The Nigerian Air Force has paraded six suspects allegedly involved in arms theft in Adamawa state.

Commander of the Air Force Operations in Adamawa state, Air Commodore Haruna Mohammed announced the theft of the rifles while parading the suspects at the headquarters of the Air Force 37 Base Services Group.

Mohammed stated that the military was able to trace the other suspects after it initially nabbed one them with the assistance of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Punch reports that Mohammed spoke to journalists in company of Brig.-Gen. Benson Akinroluyo, the Commander, 23rd Armoured Brigade. Both warned the public to be wary of buying arms and ammunition from criminals.

Dubi Elisha, one of the suspects, whose arrest was made possible through the cooperation of the DSS, was found to be in possession of a missing FN rifle belonging to the Air Force. He was later discovered to be a former military personnel.

Elisha’s arrest, according to the Airforce commander, led to the arrest of one James Dauda who was found to be involved in the theft of some missing weapons in the command.

“According to the confession obtained from Dauda, he sold the FN rifle to Elisha. His statement also disclosed the involvement of other accomplices – Saul Chamak, Yaro Philemon, Martins Bears and Tatula Moses, who have since been arrested.

“Other incriminating items recovered from the suspects in the course of our investigation are a Browning pistol, a double-barrelled gun and thirty-seven rounds of 9mm live ammunition,” Mohammed said.

A number of serving military personnel have been arrested at different times for supplying weapons to bandits and terrorist groups. Nigeria is currently spending more on equipping the armed forces and boosting troops morale to reduce such incidents of sabotage.