Court Sentences Three to 10 Years for Arms Trafficking

On January 8, 2026, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced three individuals, including Halima Haliru Umar, to 10 years in prison for arms trafficking. The court found them guilty of illegal possession of 302 rounds of live ammunition.

The Department of State Services (DSS) arrested the suspects during an operation that revealed their plan to transport arms to a bandit kingpin in Bantaj village, Wukari Local Government Area, Taraba State. The DSS intercepted the suspects along the Wukari-Jalingo road, where they concealed the ammunition in two sacks of food items.

The recovered items included 14 AK-47 rifle magazines, 984 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and 105 rounds of 7.82mm ammunition. Justice Haywa Joseph Yilwatda presided over the trial and adjourned the matter until May 8, 2025, for further proceedings.

The case underscores the ongoing efforts of the DSS to disrupt the arms supply chain linked to banditry and terrorism in Nigeria.