The Taraba State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its ongoing operations against criminal activities in the state, following the arrest of a suspected arms trafficker and the recovery of weapons, including a rifle previously stolen from the Command during a fatal ambush in 2023.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, James Leshen, who revealed that officers attached to the State Intelligence Department (SID) acted on credible intelligence in collaboration with a local vigilante outfit. Their efforts led to the arrest of a 40-year-old suspect, Umar Ahmad, at a strategic checkpoint within the Jalingo metropolis.
Ahmad, who hails from London Maidoro in Gombe State, had reportedly been on the police radar for several months due to his alleged involvement in arms trafficking and links to criminal syndicates operating across state borders. He was intercepted around 11:00 a.m. on April 18, 2025, while attempting to evade surveillance.
Upon interrogation, the suspect cooperated with investigators and took them to Mayo Faran, a remote settlement in Mayo Belwa Local Government Area—an area lying along the Taraba–Adamawa border. A thorough search of the location resulted in the recovery of two AK-47 rifles with serial numbers 1985 PT2021 and 08893. Additionally, eight magazines and thirty-nine live rounds of ammunition were retrieved from the scene.
Police investigations revealed that one of the rifles, bearing serial number 08893, was confirmed to be the same weapon snatched from operatives of the Taraba Command during a deadly ambush in 2023. That incident occurred during a rescue mission mounted by the anti-kidnapping unit to free Alhaji Buba Nyala, a second-class traditional ruler of Popule village in Yorro Local Government Area. The ambush tragically led to the death of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Aminu Nuhu, and the rifle was seized by the attackers during the chaos that ensued.
While addressing the success of the operation, the Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Simon Bretet, applauded the efforts of the SID operatives and their local collaborators for their diligence and swift response. He reiterated the Command’s commitment to stamping out all forms of criminality in Taraba State and reaffirmed that no part of the state will be allowed to serve as a sanctuary for criminals.
He further called on residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by providing actionable intelligence that could help thwart criminal activities and enhance public safety.
The police have confirmed that investigations into the case are still ongoing, with additional arrests and possible arms recoveries anticipated in the coming days as efforts intensify to dismantle the wider network behind the arms smuggling operation.
