Barely 72 hours after the arrest of five notorious gunrunners leading to the recovery of automatic weapons and about 6,000 rounds of assorted rounds of ammunition at Bayameni along Bauchi Road in Jos North Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State, the troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) have busted another gunrunning syndicate, as two more have been nabbed.
A statement by the OPSH Public Information Officer yesterday, Major Samson Zhakom said, “Operation Safe Haven conducted follow up operations in Bokkos Town, Bokkos LGA of Plateau State on 18th of September, 2024.
“During the intelligence-based sting operations, security agencies busted another criminal syndicate while finalising transactions for sales of arms and ammunition amounting to five million Naira (N5,000,000.00) at Banana Island Hotel in Bokkos.
“Consequently, two notorious gunrunners identified as Matawal Bitrus and Thomas Benedict were apprehended.
The troops recovered two AK-47 rifles, one automatic pistol, and three AK-47 magazines.
“The suspects have been taken into custody for interrogation, with a view to extracting information in order to arrest other members of the gunrunning syndicate on the run”.
Zhakom said, “The latest arrest of gunrunners and recovery of arms and ammunition from both Jos North and Bokkos LGAs confirms the assertion that criminality is not defined by any ethno-religious boundary”.
