DSS Breaks Arms Ring in Plateau

Security officials have moved to contain rising violence in the north with the arrest of a suspected arms dealer tied to recent attacks in Plateau State.

The Department of State Services said its operatives picked up the suspect on November 12 after tracking his activities to a workshop in the Mista Ali area of Bassa Local Government Area.

The arrest followed intelligence reports that pointed to who was behind the flow of weapons to armed groups in Plateau and neighbouring states. According to the service, the suspect, identified as Musa Abubakar, had been producing and distributing weapons and ammunition from his base.

Details of what was found at the workshop show how the network operated. Operatives recovered parts of improvised explosive devices, chemicals and tools believed to be used in building weapons. The service said these materials linked the workshop to attacks carried out in the region.

The DSS explained why it moved in when it did, noting that the suspect had admitted to supplying high-calibre weapons to groups responsible for waves of violence across northern communities. The raid, carried out after weeks of monitoring, was described as a targeted effort to cut off one of the key supply channels.

The arrest happened at a time when the service had already been pursuing other suspects linked to unrest. Days earlier, the agency recaptured Abdulazeez Obadaki, a Kuje Prison escapee accused of involvement in deadly strikes in Owo and a Deeper Life Church location.

The latest operation also fits into a wider campaign. The agency recently confirmed the arrest of nine other suspects, including 46-year-old Timna Manjol, as part of its push to dismantle networks fuelling violence. The service said it will continue working to secure affected communities and break the supply of weapons driving the attacks.