The Nigerian Army has arrested two of its soldiers for gunrunning.
A source told Global Upfront Newspapers (GUN) that Sergeant Saad Adamu 05NA/56/385 was arrested for ammo racketeering Njimtilo along Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.
Sergeant Adamu, deployed to 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, had left his unit in Jos, Plateau State to Maiduguri without pass in order to further his gunrunning activities.
Upon his arrest, he confessed to working with Sergeant Dalhatu Murtala 07NA/60/0940, who was the armourer of 19 Brigade Garrison of the Army. In fact, Sergeant Adamu told investigators that the ammunition was supplied to him by Sergeant Murtala.
Murtala was thereafter arrested in the Baga road general area of operation.
A source confirmed that a breakdown of the ammunition and magazine in possession of Sergeant Adamu include 313 rounds of 7.62mm PKT ammunition, 172 rounds of 7.62mm special and and two magazines.
These were concealed inside Bagco super bag filled with cartons and dry fish.
Investigations into the arms racketeering are being led by the 7 Division Provost Group.
There has been concerns on the behaviour of some “rogue” soldiers who infiltrated into the system through the recruitment process and they are carrying out activities that used to be “unheard of” in the Army.
A source lamented that the most worrisome aspect is that the ammunitions and others are being stolen from military armories and sold to terrorists and other non-State actors who in turn use them against soldiers in the battlefield.
