Troops of the 17 Brigade under Operation FANSAN YANMA have arrested a suspected gunrunner allegedly connected to notorious bandit leaders operating across Nigeria’s North-West region.
Security sources identified the suspect as 25-year-old Saidu Rabiu, a native of Wagini village in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
According to the sources, the suspect was apprehended during an intelligence-led operation carried out on May 15, 2026, after security operatives received reports that he was receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Batsari.
The troops reportedly stormed the hospital at about 10:20 a.m. and arrested the suspect without resistance before taking him into custody for interrogation.
Preliminary investigations allegedly linked Rabiu to an arms supply network believed to be providing weapons and ammunition to notorious bandit kingpins, including Bello Turji and Ado Aliero.
Security sources also claimed that the suspect may have had connections with other criminal commanders identified as the late Kachalla Black and Yellow.
Investigators suspect the alleged gunrunner played a significant role in supplying military-grade weapons and ammunition used in attacks, kidnappings and raids across communities in Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and parts of Kaduna State.
The arrest is being viewed as a major breakthrough in ongoing military operations aimed at dismantling arms trafficking networks fueling terrorism and banditry in the North-West.
Operation FANSAN YANMA has intensified intelligence-based offensives in recent months, targeting terrorist hideouts, logistics suppliers, informants and collaborators linked to criminal gangs operating within the region.
Security insiders disclosed that the suspect remains in military custody as investigations continue to uncover wider networks of arms dealers and collaborators.
Residents in parts of Katsina State have reportedly praised the military for sustaining pressure on criminal groups, expressing hope that the arrest would weaken the operational strength of armed gangs terrorising communities in the area.
Although the military is yet to officially comment on the development, security sources indicated that further arrests could follow as investigations progress.
