Molly Kilete, Abuja
a 33-year-old gunrunner, Usman, who sells sophisticated guns and ammunition to bandits has confessed that huge profits lured him into the illegal business. He was until his arrest, a fish trader.
He said doing business with bandits is golden: “It is what any businessman would dream of. Bandits pay handsomely in cash for guns and ammunition, unlike the fish business where customers buy on credit.”
The suspect was arrested by operatives of the Special Task Force, he is assisting them in their investigations. He revealed that he got his supplies from Dei-dei, a satellite town in the FCT, and sold to his customers who are mostly bandits.
He said he preferred to deal with the bandits because they pay in cash and guarantee quick returns on investment, adding that he was introduced into the business by one of his friends who saw the hardship he was passing through in his fish business.
Police operatives told Daily Sun that the suspect, who has been on their wanted list for sometime, was arrested at Maraba Jos, in Kaduna State, where he had gone to supply ammunition to bandits. He was found to be in possession of 131 rounds of AK-47 riffle ammunition at the time of his arrest. He was arrested alongside his partner in the business. Usman said after getting his supplies, he usually travelled to either Kaduna or Plateau State to sell them to the criminals, after establishing contacts with them. He also said he has been able to escape several security checkpoints mounted along these routes because of the way he usually concealed the items:
“I was arrested for trading in ammunition and I had 131 rounds of ammunition for AK-47 riffles, which I was about supplying to bandits. I was asked to deliver the ammunition to one Sani at Mararaba Jos. I was on my way to make the delivery when I was picked up by policemen. They said they have been looking for me.
“I was on transit from Deidei to Maraba Jos in Kaduna State to deliver the ammunition to the bandits. I have been in the business of selling ammunition for about three years now. I was once arrested by the police for another offence.
“I usually got my supplies from somebody at Deidei here in Abuja and my partner Sani, did the arrangements and negotiations on how to get them. I have been in it for sometime now. I am a fish trader. I had not sold any before I was arrested.”