Police intercept suspected AK-47 procurement deal in Kwara

Operatives of the Kwara State Police Command have intercepted a planned acquisition of an AK-47 rifle in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state.

The suspected buyer, identified as Sanda Aliyu, was arrested following actionable intelligence that exposed the alleged illicit arms transaction before its completion.

Image maker of the command, SP Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi, in a statement in Ilorin on Thursday, announced that “on 3rd August 2026, intelligence received by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Section indicated that Sanda Aliyu was allegedly negotiating with one Aliyu Mohammed, currently at large, for the procurement of an AK-47 rifle.

“Detectives immediately initiated a targeted operation based on the intelligence, resulting in the arrest of Sanda Aliyu before the weapon could be delivered.

“During interrogation, the suspect voluntarily admitted his involvement in the transaction and disclosed that N1.6 million had already been paid towards the purchase of the rifle.

“He further revealed that the purpose of acquiring the firearm was to enable him to rise to the position of a ‘boss’ within his current kidnapping gang before ultimately breaking away to establish and lead his own criminal gang.”

According to the spokesperson, investigative verification of the transaction had provided further leads into the circumstances surrounding the attempted acquisition, identified other persons connected with the illicit arms transaction, established the full extent of the network, and helped unravel the broader criminal activities associated with the gang.

The State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, who acknowledged the strategic policing direction of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, assured the people of the state that there would be no respite in the ongoing offensive against criminal elements.

Adekimi vowed that the command would continue to deploy every lawful intelligence and operational resource at its disposal until every community was sufficiently secured and residents could sleep with both eyes closed.